No one writes characters quite like Foer does. Where most writers stop, Foer pushes a little further, delving deeper into the psyche of his subjects, adding details and description, thoughts and feelings that breathe life into his pages. Oskar, for instance, is a precocious child, raised by progressive parents on the Upper East Side of New York City. He is mulitlingual, a pacifist, a vegan and an amateur astrophysicist. Oskar is also lost in a sea of grief at his father's death. It is through Foer's portrayal of Oskar's remarkable intelligence that his pain becomes palpable for the reader. Oskar's intense and questioning mind needs answers. When he finds a key in his father's closet, his story takes on the dimensions of a quest as he searches to find the lock the key opens. And like most quests, it does't lead Oskar where he thinks it will.
Oskar's story is interwoven through parallel narratives with those of his grandparents, survivors of Nazi occupied Dresden. Each narrative has a distinct style and vocabulary and each character has a personal story to tell. The stories are tied together by a shared history and the impact of a single, horrible event on the course of a human life.
Foer also uses "postmodern" technique to take the book beyond the conventional format of a novel. He includes photographs, handwritten notes, codes and script written over script to convey his messages. This is the first of three books I will read by Jonathan Safran Foer. Next I'm reading Eating Animals which is a nonfiction book he wrote after he and his wife had a baby. He wanted to know more about how to feed his child. In it he explores not only the way our food is produced, but the culture of eating and our various attachments to food. After that I'm reading Everything is Illuminated, which is supposed to be hilariously funny, but in a dark way. I've already seen the movei and it was excellent. I love his writing and look forward to reading more of his work.
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