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Product Description
Product Description
protect the diamonds
survive the clubs
dig deep through the spades
feel the hearts
Ed Kennedy is an underage cabdriver without much of a future. He's pathetic at playing cards, hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey, and utterly devoted to his coffee-drinking dog, the Doorman. His life is one of peaceful routine and incompetence until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery.
That's when the first ace arrives in the mail.
That's when Ed becomes the messenger.
Chosen to care, he makes his way through town helping and hurting (when necessary) until only one question remains: Who's behind Ed's mission?
A 2005 Michael L. Printz Honor Book and recipient of five starred reviews, I Am the Messenger is a cryptic journey filled with laughter, fists, and love.
survive the clubs
dig deep through the spades
feel the hearts
Ed Kennedy is an underage cabdriver without much of a future. He's pathetic at playing cards, hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey, and utterly devoted to his coffee-drinking dog, the Doorman. His life is one of peaceful routine and incompetence until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery.
That's when the first ace arrives in the mail.
That's when Ed becomes the messenger.
Chosen to care, he makes his way through town helping and hurting (when necessary) until only one question remains: Who's behind Ed's mission?
A 2005 Michael L. Printz Honor Book and recipient of five starred reviews, I Am the Messenger is a cryptic journey filled with laughter, fists, and love.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
38 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I,like others it seems only bought this book as I loved 'the book thief' so much. I wasn't dissapointed! This book is nothing at all like 'the book thief' but it has a few things it common with it,in that it is a wonderfully written, page turning,original and thought provoking book by an excellent Author.
Ed is a wonderful character - a nice guy with an average life. When he starts receiving cards with strange messages on, his life starts on a roller coaster journey which changes Ed forever. I loved this book. I recommend it to anyone who loves books which are a bit different, quirky and heart warming at the same time.
My only criticism is that I read it too quickly and now I need to find another equally page turning book to read. Now my search begins ...lol
Ed is a wonderful character - a nice guy with an average life. When he starts receiving cards with strange messages on, his life starts on a roller coaster journey which changes Ed forever. I loved this book. I recommend it to anyone who loves books which are a bit different, quirky and heart warming at the same time.
My only criticism is that I read it too quickly and now I need to find another equally page turning book to read. Now my search begins ...lol
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I came to this book having read The Book Thief over a year before (it became one of my favourite books of all time). If this sounds familiar, try to allow some leniency and understanding in knowing that 'I Am the Messenger' precedes Book Thief; it is probably hard for most people, including myself not to compare the two. Having said that, I'll try to review 'I Am the Messenger' on its own merits, without drawing too many comparisons.
So, overall this was a very well written, fun and sincere book. You definitely see Zusak's intelligence and storytelling ability through this book.
Ed is a flawed, yet highly likeable guy. He has a genuine (raw) beauty that you don't see in many characters in today's books and I loved that I actually felt the emotions he went through - the tense situations, empathy for people in horrible situations and the beauty of helping his friends.
After a while you start to go what he's going through - days lost to nothing consequential, the feeling that your life isn't going anywhere fast. In a way, his friends are his saving grace and you come to love them and respect them, even with their flaws, in the way that Ed does.
This is a very Australian book; at times it almost feels more like a movie script than a book. Some of the references, particularly closer to the start of the book are very Occa, and not everyone from overseas will understand the references and humour.
While this book is aimed at young adults, I think adults will appreciate it as well (if not more) and some of the themes are definitely for older youths anyway.
(SPOILERS WARNING) I note that some people are disappointed by the ending. I am somewhat, it kind of feels a bit like an easy cop-out on Zusak's behalf but then I also see beauty in it... I think really he's just trying to say that we can write our own story and improve on it if we just try... After all, if a somewhat downtrodden guy like Ed can do, anyone can.
Anyway, in conclusion, this book isn't another Book Theif but it is fun to read, amusing and I got some interesting ideas to think about by reading it.
So, overall this was a very well written, fun and sincere book. You definitely see Zusak's intelligence and storytelling ability through this book.
Ed is a flawed, yet highly likeable guy. He has a genuine (raw) beauty that you don't see in many characters in today's books and I loved that I actually felt the emotions he went through - the tense situations, empathy for people in horrible situations and the beauty of helping his friends.
After a while you start to go what he's going through - days lost to nothing consequential, the feeling that your life isn't going anywhere fast. In a way, his friends are his saving grace and you come to love them and respect them, even with their flaws, in the way that Ed does.
This is a very Australian book; at times it almost feels more like a movie script than a book. Some of the references, particularly closer to the start of the book are very Occa, and not everyone from overseas will understand the references and humour.
While this book is aimed at young adults, I think adults will appreciate it as well (if not more) and some of the themes are definitely for older youths anyway.
(SPOILERS WARNING) I note that some people are disappointed by the ending. I am somewhat, it kind of feels a bit like an easy cop-out on Zusak's behalf but then I also see beauty in it... I think really he's just trying to say that we can write our own story and improve on it if we just try... After all, if a somewhat downtrodden guy like Ed can do, anyone can.
Anyway, in conclusion, this book isn't another Book Theif but it is fun to read, amusing and I got some interesting ideas to think about by reading it.
77 of 82 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I must admit that the only reason I read this book, or considered reading it in the first place was because I had read the "The Book Thief" also by Marcus Zusak and found it a truly outstanding read. This is what brought me to read this book but I am glad to have read it. I found this book to be everything you want from a book when you decide to read it, riveting, thought provoking, heart warming moments but also the dark moments (which the author seems to write very well in all his books) which make a book more intersting.
I do not want to go into the details of the book, people can learn them if they decide to read the book themlseves but suffice to say the book moves at a good pace and always has twists and turns (and the occasional belly shaking laugh) which makes it very difficult to put down. The main characters, and even the less important characters, are well introduced and given clear and unique personalities and as in one of the previous reviews I have to agree that the character of Doorman the dog is a fantastic peice of writing by the author. However unlike the previous reviews I would disagree with the fact that this book has anything at all to do with the Da Vinci code or the National Treasure film nor would I agree with the comparison of this book to "My Name is Earl" yes there are some elements of karma in this book, but no more so than any other book, this book is nothing like that show, this book attempts too, and suceeds, in putting acroos a message, a message which I will leave readers to discover themselves.
This book is a truly great read and I would not hesitate in recomending it to anyone
I do not want to go into the details of the book, people can learn them if they decide to read the book themlseves but suffice to say the book moves at a good pace and always has twists and turns (and the occasional belly shaking laugh) which makes it very difficult to put down. The main characters, and even the less important characters, are well introduced and given clear and unique personalities and as in one of the previous reviews I have to agree that the character of Doorman the dog is a fantastic peice of writing by the author. However unlike the previous reviews I would disagree with the fact that this book has anything at all to do with the Da Vinci code or the National Treasure film nor would I agree with the comparison of this book to "My Name is Earl" yes there are some elements of karma in this book, but no more so than any other book, this book is nothing like that show, this book attempts too, and suceeds, in putting acroos a message, a message which I will leave readers to discover themselves.
This book is a truly great read and I would not hesitate in recomending it to anyone
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Must buy
I bought this as I enjoyed the Book Thief so much. Although I was a bit disappointed at the beginning as it was written in a totally different style, I very soon got hooked on... Read more
Published 13 days ago by Laurie
Good concept, disliked the character
Now the book itself was a fun and captivating concept. The tasks from the mysterious source and the fact that the tasks varied in darkness and morality. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Vivstheman
Beautiful
Markus Zusak is the most wonderful writer. As with most, I started reading his work with the Book Thief, which is beautiful and harrowing and thought-provoking. Read more
Published 7 months ago by youngarchaeologist
Enjoyable
Was suggested this book by a friend. It is well written, gripping and easy to read. A real page turner with a satisfying outcome (although the very very last bit was a bit cliched)... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mr. M. J. Payne
so good!
really good read, engaging, enjoyable and believable! All of my friends want to borrow it and I want to share it everyone because it's so cool and clever!
Published 8 months ago by Jarvy
I am the messenger
I really loved reading this book, and thought the storyline was excellent apart from the ending. I felt that Markus didn't really know how to finish an excellent book. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Suzie Wadsworth
A great read
I bought this book because I very much enjoyed The Book Thief. This book is nothing like that book, except that it's also brilliantly well written and very hard to put down. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Rick
"Compulsively readable" - Publishers Weekly
Unlike many of the reviewers, I did not buy this book because of 'The Book Thief', I bought this book for two reasons: a. Read more
Published 9 months ago by S. Shamma
Good, but not a children's book
The Messenger is Markus Zusak's 4th novel. The story revolves around Ed Kennedy, an under-age taxi driver in a small town somewhere in rural Australia. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Cloggie Downunder
Funny and thought provoking
I bought this book after reading (and loving) the Book Thief, following other reviews on amazon I took the plunge. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Ace170
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