Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
by Jonathan Safran Foer, Anthony Burgess (pseud. van John Anthony Burgess Wilson.)
7.94 / 10 440K ratings
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2005
- Publisher
- Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
- Pages
- 326
- ISBN
- 9780618711659
Nine-year-old Oskar Schell is an inventor, amateur entomologist, and pacifist, but above all, he is a son grieving the loss of his father in the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center. A year after his father's death, Oskar discovers a key in a small envelope labeled with the single word "Black" inside a vase in his father's closet. Convinced that the key holds a final message from his father, Oskar embarks on an urgent, secret mission across the five boroughs of New York City to find the lock it belongs to.
This journey brings him into contact with a host of strangers, each with their own story of loss and connection, and forces him to confront his deepest fears about the world. As Oskar navigates the city, he pieces together not only the puzzle of the key but also the fragmented story of his own family's history of trauma, stretching back to the firebombing of Dresden. The narrative explores the intricate and often painful ways people cope with tragedy, the profound weight of unspoken grief, and the small, vital connections that can offer a path toward healing.
This journey brings him into contact with a host of strangers, each with their own story of loss and connection, and forces him to confront his deepest fears about the world. As Oskar navigates the city, he pieces together not only the puzzle of the key but also the fragmented story of his own family's history of trauma, stretching back to the firebombing of Dresden. The narrative explores the intricate and often painful ways people cope with tragedy, the profound weight of unspoken grief, and the small, vital connections that can offer a path toward healing.
Subjects
Original edition
Extremely Loud and Incredibly CloseOriginally published in 2005 English Harpercollins
Other editions (32)
Listen to the summary Narrated summary
Nine-year-old Oskar Schell, an inventor, collector, and amateur entomologist, navigates the sprawling, bewildering city of New York with a profound sense of loss that has reshaped the very contours of his world. A year has passed since September 11, 2001, the day his beloved father, Thomas Schell, was lost in the collapse of the World Trade Center. Oskar carries a heavy secret: he was home when his father called, leaving five messages on the answering machine, but Oskar, paralyzed by fear, couldn't bring himself to answer the sixth, final call. This unspoken burden, alongside the unrecovered body and an empty coffin at the funeral, fuels his desperate need for understanding and connection. He feels a growing distance from his mother, who seems to be moving on too quickly, perhaps even with a new man named Ron, intensifying Oskar's emotional turmoil.
One day, rummaging through his father's closet, Oskar accidentally shatters a vase and discovers a small key tucked inside an envelope marked with the single word "Black." Immediately, an elaborate, secret mission forms in his precocious mind: this key must be a final message, a puzzle left by his father, and he is determined to find the lock it fits. Armed with a list of every "Black" in the New York phone book - 472 names in total - Oskar embarks on a silent, sprawling odyssey across the five boroughs, carrying his father's old camera and a tambourine, hoping each encounter will bring him closer to the truth.
His journey is a mosaic of encounters, each "Black" a fleeting glimpse into a different life, a different story. Some are kind, some indifferent, some as broken as he feels. He meets Abby Black, a woman in the midst of her own quiet upheaval, and later, an enigmatic, elderly mute man, Mr. Black, who lives in his grandmother's apartment building. This Mr. Black, who has not left his home in decades since his wife's death, unexpectedly joins Oskar, becoming a silent companion and a surrogate grandfather figure. Together, they navigate the city, its buses and bridges, confronting Oskar's many fears and forging an unlikely bond through shared silence and purpose.
Woven through Oskar's present-day quest are the fragmented, haunting narratives of his grandparents. His grandfather, also named Thomas, lost his voice and his capacity for speech after witnessing the horrific firebombing of Dresden during World War II, an event that claimed his first love, Anna, and their unborn child. He communicates through written notes, living a life marked by profound grief and the inability to escape the past. His grandmother, Anna's sister, whose name we never learn, eventually found him again in New York and proposed marriage, seeking a connection in their shared trauma. Their letters, filled with unspoken pain and attempts to define "something" and "nothing" in their apartment, reveal a history of loss that echoes Oskar's own.
Oskar's relentless search continues for months, revealing no definitive answers about the key. He plays his father's increasingly desperate answering machine messages for Mr. Black, who becomes agitated and refuses to hear the last one. It is later revealed that Oskar's mother, aware of his secret quest, has been subtly orchestrating his encounters, calling ahead to each "Black" on his list, a loving deception to allow him to process his grief on his own terms.
The journey culminates in a moment of stark realization. Oskar finally meets William Black, who explains that the key belongs to him, an ordinary key for a safe deposit box, accidentally left at Oskar's father's jewelry shop. The key has no profound connection to his father's death; it is simply a random object. Devastated yet oddly liberated, Oskar decides to unearth his father's empty coffin, seeking a final, tangible connection. His grandfather, the silent renter, joins him, and in a deeply poignant act, buries the years of unsent letters he had written to his son within the empty space. This act of shared grief and quiet communion begins to mend the fractured relationships, allowing Oskar to finally speak with his mother about his fears and move, however tentatively, towards a future less burdened by unspoken secrets.
One day, rummaging through his father's closet, Oskar accidentally shatters a vase and discovers a small key tucked inside an envelope marked with the single word "Black." Immediately, an elaborate, secret mission forms in his precocious mind: this key must be a final message, a puzzle left by his father, and he is determined to find the lock it fits. Armed with a list of every "Black" in the New York phone book - 472 names in total - Oskar embarks on a silent, sprawling odyssey across the five boroughs, carrying his father's old camera and a tambourine, hoping each encounter will bring him closer to the truth.
His journey is a mosaic of encounters, each "Black" a fleeting glimpse into a different life, a different story. Some are kind, some indifferent, some as broken as he feels. He meets Abby Black, a woman in the midst of her own quiet upheaval, and later, an enigmatic, elderly mute man, Mr. Black, who lives in his grandmother's apartment building. This Mr. Black, who has not left his home in decades since his wife's death, unexpectedly joins Oskar, becoming a silent companion and a surrogate grandfather figure. Together, they navigate the city, its buses and bridges, confronting Oskar's many fears and forging an unlikely bond through shared silence and purpose.
Woven through Oskar's present-day quest are the fragmented, haunting narratives of his grandparents. His grandfather, also named Thomas, lost his voice and his capacity for speech after witnessing the horrific firebombing of Dresden during World War II, an event that claimed his first love, Anna, and their unborn child. He communicates through written notes, living a life marked by profound grief and the inability to escape the past. His grandmother, Anna's sister, whose name we never learn, eventually found him again in New York and proposed marriage, seeking a connection in their shared trauma. Their letters, filled with unspoken pain and attempts to define "something" and "nothing" in their apartment, reveal a history of loss that echoes Oskar's own.
Oskar's relentless search continues for months, revealing no definitive answers about the key. He plays his father's increasingly desperate answering machine messages for Mr. Black, who becomes agitated and refuses to hear the last one. It is later revealed that Oskar's mother, aware of his secret quest, has been subtly orchestrating his encounters, calling ahead to each "Black" on his list, a loving deception to allow him to process his grief on his own terms.
The journey culminates in a moment of stark realization. Oskar finally meets William Black, who explains that the key belongs to him, an ordinary key for a safe deposit box, accidentally left at Oskar's father's jewelry shop. The key has no profound connection to his father's death; it is simply a random object. Devastated yet oddly liberated, Oskar decides to unearth his father's empty coffin, seeking a final, tangible connection. His grandfather, the silent renter, joins him, and in a deeply poignant act, buries the years of unsent letters he had written to his son within the empty space. This act of shared grief and quiet communion begins to mend the fractured relationships, allowing Oskar to finally speak with his mother about his fears and move, however tentatively, towards a future less burdened by unspoken secrets.
What other readers say
Liked
Many readers found this book to be a deeply moving and emotionally resonant experience, often evoking strong feelings and tears, particularly regarding the themes of grief and loss following a major tragedy like September 11th. The story is widely praised for its exploration of love, humanity, and the journey towards healing, often offering an optimistic view of human connection. Reviewers highlighted the unique and imaginative writing style, including its multi-genre approach and experimental use of formatting and language, which many found brave, gorgeous, and immersive. The protagonist, Oskar, a boy who lost his father, is frequently described as an unforgettable, intelligent, and empathetic character whose quest to connect with his parent and others is both beautiful and thought-provoking.
Disliked
Conversely, a significant number of readers found the book's narrative style to be overly gimmicky, pretentious, and self-indulgent, with some describing it as hard to follow or distracting. The protagonist, Oskar, was often criticized for being an unrealistic or unbelievable character, with some reviewers finding his precociousness cloying, manipulative, or even irritating. Critics also pointed to the story as being overly sentimental or emotionally manipulative, suggesting that it leaned too heavily on the tragic subject matter to elicit a reaction. Furthermore, some felt the plot lacked substance or coherence, describing it as convoluted or too sweet, and that certain character actions or narrative choices were illogical or frustrating.
In short
Overall, the book elicits highly polarized reactions, with readers either deeply loving its emotional depth and stylistic innovation or strongly disliking its perceived artifice and sentimentality. It is a book that aims to explore profound themes of loss, connection, and resilience through an unconventional lens. Readers who appreciate experimental storytelling, highly emotional narratives, and child narrators with unique perspectives, and who are willing to overlook or embrace its eccentricities, are most likely to find it a powerful and memorable experience. Those who prefer straightforward plots, realistic characters, and traditional narrative structures may find it frustrating.
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