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Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, a book review

In a very captivating way, Jonathan Safran Foer’s Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

tells the story of Oskar Schell, a nine-year-old boy who lost his father in the New York City

9/11 attacks. In this novel, Foer gives the narration a multiplicity of voices, allowing

different characters to have interesting and different perspectives. Oskar, nonetheless, is

the main narrator who, after having accidentally found a mysterious key that belonged to

his father, sets out on the mission of finding the lock it opens. The only clue he has is the

word “Black”, written in red on the envelope the key was in. Assuming it was a last name,

Oskar is determined to contact all of the Blacks who live in the city and, in doing so, he

realizes that “life is scarier than death” and wanders in “heavy boots” around New York

City’s five boroughs in search of an answer.

Like any other, the Schells are a family who have their myriad of secrets,

idiosyncrasies and weaknesses. Grandma and grandpa, who are German immigrants who

survived the World War II Dresden Bombing, interestingly explore life in rather absolute

terms of oblivion and awareness. Their parental involvement with Thomas, Oskar’s father,

is existent to one and not to the other. Thomas’ paternal relationship with Oskar, on the

other hand, was full, fun and loving whereas Oskar’s current relationship with his mom is

difficult, yet one of love. Grandma’s relationship with her daughter-in-law is amicable,

respectful and supportive. Everyone’s relationship with the renter is one which will

captivate the reader’s mind wondering for some time.

The success of Foer’s previous work Everything is Illuminated created high

expectations, which were not let down, for Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. In this novel,
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Foer effectively addresses deep existential issues, sometimes unsettling and sometimes

funny, by drawing parallels between the commonality of the other characters’ experiences

and those of Oskar’s in light of tragedies of historical magnitude. His writing style is very

engaging and thought-provoking in that it will cause the reader to wonder constantly as to

where the fine line between denotation and connotation actually is.

In Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Oskar Schell’s wild ADHD-like imagination will

keep the reader’s interest and attention throughout the book. Despite maybe not being the

most suitable choice for the weak at heart, reading this novel by Foer is a must.