I Am the Messenger 1st Edition

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Susan Scofield, January 28, 2010 (view all comments by Susan Scofield)
Nothing random. Makes me think "Five People You Meet in Heaven." Great read for teens and adults alike. Great ending and not what you were expecting!

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bethdalton, January 15, 2010 (view all comments by bethdalton)
Australian cabdriver, Ed Kennedy, is 19, living on his own without much of a plan for his future. He lives with his rank-smelling dog, The Doorman, and longs for a deeper relationship with his best friend, Audrey. After he stops a bank robbery he begins to receive anonymous messages in his mail box. He goes to the addresses given in the messages but once he has arrived he must determine what he must do to create positive change. As the book progresses, Ed begins to deal with his relationships with his friends and family. The book is about personal empowerment and personal connection without being silly or fluffy. This is great choice for book clubs. There is a bit of violence and sex. This is a good choice for older teens and adults who like a book with both dark and light moments, a fast-paced storyline, and great dialogue.

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crowyhead, August 29, 2007 (view all comments by crowyhead)
After reading The Book Thief and loving it, I was curious about I Am the Messenger. It's not as brilliant as The Book Thief, but it's a good read nonetheless.

Ed Kennedy is 19 and basically isn't doing a whole lot with his life. He has an elderly, smelly dog named the Doorman, he drives a cab, and he gets together with his friends a few nights a week to play cards. He's in love with Audrey, his best friend, but can't tell her. This all begins to change when Ed foils a completely inept attempt at bank robbery. Soon afterward, he receives a playing card in the mail with three addresses written on it. At each address, there is a problem to be solved, an intervention to be made, and thus begin the strangest months of Ed's life.

The book could be a sappy one, and occasionally it strays into sentimental territory. However, Zusak's unflinching portrayal of life's petty brutalities, as well as his sure sense of the ways that friends (including friends that are dogs) interact with each other, keep this from being overly preachy. The ending takes an unexpected turn that might throw off some readers, but I rather liked it.

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Product Details

ISBN:

9780375830990

Author:

Zusak, Markus

Publisher:

Alfred A. Knopf

Subject:

General

Subject:

Self-Esteem

Subject:

Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General

Subject:

Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories

Subject:

Heroes

Subject:

Social Issues - Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance

Subject:

General Juvenile Fiction

Subject:

Children s Middle Readers-General

Subject:

Mysteries & Detective Stories

Copyright:

2005

Publication Date:

20050231

Binding:

HARDCOVER

Grade Level:

from 9

Language:

English

Pages:

368

Dimensions:

8.54x5.90x1.26 in. 1.18 lbs.

Age Level:

12-17