The Book of Form and Emptiness
Ruth Ozeki
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars
4.15
· 30 ratings · 560 pages · Published: 21 Sep 2021
At first Benny tries to ignore them, but soon the voices follow him outside the house, onto the street and at school, driving him at last to seek refuge in the silence of a large public library, where objects are well-behaved and know to speak in whispers. There, Benny discovers a strange new world, where 'things happen'. He falls in love with a mesmerising street artist with a smug pet ferret, who uses the library as her performance space. He meets a homeless philosopher-poet, who encourages him to ask important questions and find his own voice amongst the many.
And he meets his very own Book - a talking thing - who narrates Benny's life and teaches him to listen to the things that truly matter.
With its blend of sympathetic characters, riveting plot and vibrant engagement with everything from jazz to climate change to our attachment to material possessions, The Book of Form and Emptiness is classic Ruth Ozeki - bold, wise, poignant, playful, humane and heartbreaking.
Tagged as:
- fantasy 4
- magical realism 3
- literary fiction 3
- contemporary 3
- coming of age 3
- family 2
- grief 2
- psychological 2
- religion 1
- magic 1
- protagonists of colour 1
- epic 1
- spirituality 1
- Add topics
- format - reader age
- audiobook 3
- young adult 2
- book 1
- content warnings
- mental illness 3