Title: I Am the Messenger

Author: Markus Zusak

Genre: Contemporary/Mystery

My Rating: 2/5 stars

Ed Kennedy is barely living. He’s an underage cab driver, he’s hopelessly in love with his best friend who has friend-zoned him for life, and he basically lives in a shack. He’s a dead-beat. But through a series of strange events, he stops a bank robbery and several days later is served the first ace.

On this playing card, he finds 3 addresses, and upon visiting these addresses finds different people that he needs to take care of; to either hurt or help them. This book follows Ed’s journey as he receives more cards, involves himself in other people’s lives, and ultimately learns an important lesson.

My thoughts:

I feel it should be noted that this book was written by the author of The Book Thief, which I loved. However, I never went into this expecting more of the stuff that The Book Thief has to offer, nor should anyone else. This definitely reads as Markus Zusak with his unique writing style and his John Green way of thinking. You know what I’m referring to: having consistently beautiful and poetic thoughts that are voiced always just ever-so-perfectly. It’s great, don’t get me wrong. However, there was definitely something missing for me this time.

It’s hard to say what it was. Something about the way this was written just didn’t click with me, but I can see how it might appeal to others. I just had a difficult time connecting with Ed, which ended up making this a difficult read. For being such a dead-beat, he thought an awful lot of himself apparently because he felt so entitled to his best friend’s affections. I hate this attitude, and I know many others do as well.

This book is definitely a little more heavy content-wise. If you’re triggered by rape, you may want to steer clear of this book.

Part of me was frustrated by the unrealistic air of the story. What, Ed receives 3 addresses in the mail and he just feels like he has to go there? And then once he gets there, he always knows exactly what he’s supposed to do?

Did I see what this book was trying to do? Yes. The message of the story is obvious, and I can appreciate what Zusak was trying to convey, but I don’t think it was as poignant or moving as it could have been. However, maybe this book didn’t resonate with me, but I can’t say how it might make some other reader feel. Perhaps it’s a matter of taste because I have seen many 4 and 5 star reviews on Goodreads. I’m glad that there are people that took good away from this book; unfortunately, I did not.

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