Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close follows Oskar, a creative young boy throughout his adventures in post-9/11 New York City. Since the death of his father in the attacks on the World Trade Centers, Oskar has been haunted by message his father left on the answering machine, a message only Oskar heard. Finding a key amongst his father's belongings, Oskar sets out on a search for the door, or whatever, it belongs to, meeting many characters and friends along the way. ( )

Amazing! One of the best books I've read ever. Original, captivating, imaginative...the myth about the sixth borough alone is awesome, and it's snuggled among three incredibly moving life stories and countless interesting people. ( )

I know it won't sound like I loved this book when I say that it left me feeling empty. But I do love this book. I guess the emptiness is that sad kind of feeling you get when you finish a story in which you've been completely engrossed since you began reading it. But it's also that strange, just-tolerable empty feeling that reminds you of missing things in your life - times, places, people. That's what this book did to me.

There are so many curious and beautiful complexities in this one story I don't know where to begin. Mostly it is about losing things and searching for those missing pieces of our lives to try to make sense of what we have been left with. Sometimes what was happening was unclear to me, but that only made me identify with Oskar's character more and sympathise with the way he needed to make sense of everything that had happened to him, and how that led him to needing to make sense of other people.

Many people I've spoken to don't like the way it was written - that he was too ambitious in his scope or that the writing comes across as forced. I disagree. While I was reading it I was completely engrossed in the story, and thought about the characters long after I finished. That, for me, is the sign of a great story. ( )

Engaging and full of symbolism. Requires full attention to "get it." Great characters, especially the main protagonist. Includes many illustrations that add to the content of the book.

A remarkable book, but in the end I'm not convinced Foer carries it off. The idea, seemingly Tristram Shandy meet Huckleberry Finn, combined with the cross generational juxtaposition of 9/11 and the bombing of Dresden, is vast. Yet - and perhaps I am an obtuse reader - the links were often unclear, the leaps befuddled. The writing is tender, yes, but I'm not convinced. Nice try but no coconut? ( )