I Am the Messenger

While I have nothing else to do, I figured I might as well do another book review. After all, I've spent about a month letting a small list accumulate of books that I've read. In fact, my Post-It note list of books I've read this year is sitting right by my bed as I speak.

Speaking of Post-It notes, they truly are more brilliant than I've ever given them credit for. I had my mom pick me up some from the store the other day and already I've found a need to use them for just about everything. I have six stuck to my wall on the side of my bed right now with notes about the different characters and plot ideas from Memories of a Star. I realized that for as well as I think I know my main characters, Morgan and Altair continue to surprise me. I also realized after rereading Sarah Dessen's The Truth About Forever (which, I will review eventually) that I needed to develop my other characters a bit more. For the most part Altair's family (all 8 of the children and his parents) are pretty well developed. It was just Morgan's family that I really needed to work on.

I have also decided to restart my writing for about the millionth time (okay only the 3rd). I really like everything I have in my current version, and so most of it will probably find its way into whatever I write next, but I realized that I wanted the relationship between Morgan and Altair to begin a little bit differently. I had always known that they originally didn't get along very well, but I had yet to actually show that in my book so that's what I am attempting to do now. I'm probably just making things worse for myself by not finishing what I start, but I couldn't keep writing knowing that I needed to make such a big change in my books.

Anyways, here's the book review I promised.

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

Markus Zusak has been an author I've been meaning to check out for sometime, but didn't until I borrowed this book from the library, and I'm certainly glad I did.

I Am the Messenger is the story of Ed Kennedy. Ed is an ordinary 19-year-old taxi driver who spends his nights playing cards with his best friends.

Until the day he is caught in the middle of a bank robbery. When the entire ordeal is over, Ed receives a card in the mail. Not just any card, but the Ace of Spades. With this card and the ones that follow Ed must help others who need it, all the while not knowing who he is working for.

I'll admit, the premise of the story as I've described it sounds slightly strange, and perhaps a little more mystery-esque than it really is, but trust me when I say that this book is a must read. Perhaps its because Ed is such an ordinary character that his story is so interesting. All I know is that I was thoroughly intrigued whenever Ed went looking for the next person on the list of mysterious addresses that came with each card. Plus the ending to the story was really interesting/unexpected.

Definitely one of the best books I've read in awhile.

Rating: 9.2/10