BOOK REVIEW | I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

Genre: Young Adult Fiction / Contemporary / Mystery

Publication Date: 2002

My Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Page

Goodreads Summary:

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?

**No Spoilers**

Did I think that this book would be anywhere near as good as The Book Thief? No. Was I proved wrong? Of course I was! This is the second Markus Zusak book I've read and I was certainly not disappointed. Although this book was more contemporary than The Book Thief, it was equally beautifully written and had one of the loveliest storyline's I have ever read.

The book follows Ed Kennedy, a young man who doesn't feel as though he's doing much with his life. In one day his world gets flipped upside down and the mysterious cards start arriving in the post. This book is so full of mystery and intrigue that it keeps you hooked from very early on. The main characters are all so likeable and three-dimensional from the very beginning, and the entire setting is so vividly written that I felt as though I could picture every scene in my head.

This story is just so unbelievably heart-warming. I loved the various different people that Ed met up with; I think my favourite would have to be the elderly woman and what he does for her, it was just so moving. Not only was this book so powerful and deep, but it was also funny , with a witty main character, and remained light to read. I loved the Doorman and the conversations Ed had with him. This book definitely had me chuckling aloud at times, which doesn't happen very often with books. It was also so quick to read - I finished it within a day (probably about 4 hours of reading) yet the story has still stuck with me and I keep thinking about it.

Each section of the book was just more powerful and moving than the last, and the message at the end of the book was so simple yet very true. I definitely recommend giving this book a read, it's not too long and if you enjoyed The Book Thief, then I think you'll probably enjoy Zusak's writing in this book. A lovely story and one of my new favourite books.