Scan barcode
bekreads_'s review against another edition
4.0
This was going to be a 4.5 star read up until the last 50 pages of the book. The 4.5 stars allowed for the fact that the book was a little long-winded at times and could have definitely been cut back.
But I’m taking another half a star off for the handling of mental health at the end. It felt like the book was just coming to a really important head for Benny and then all of a sudden, BAM! He was healed completely. It was a ridiculously quick ending to his mental health conditions which definitely isn’t how it works in the real world.
I enjoyed the book overall and found Ruth Ozeki to be a beautifully descriptive writer. I would definitely read her work again. I’ll also say I enjoyed reading Benny’s mother’s storylines more than his as I just found them more interesting but that’s most likely personal preference.
But I’m taking another half a star off for the handling of mental health at the end. It felt like the book was just coming to a really important head for Benny and then all of a sudden, BAM! He was healed completely. It was a ridiculously quick ending to his mental health conditions which definitely isn’t how it works in the real world.
I enjoyed the book overall and found Ruth Ozeki to be a beautifully descriptive writer. I would definitely read her work again. I’ll also say I enjoyed reading Benny’s mother’s storylines more than his as I just found them more interesting but that’s most likely personal preference.
hitch's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
michllons's review against another edition
I didn't enjoy the writing style because it was too casual/childlike (I know Benny is supposed to be young, but still) and kept repeating the same ideas multiple times. The book was too long which would have been doable if each sentence or paragraph was enjoyable. I couldn't get invested in the characters because they felt quite two dimensional, were kind of annoying, and kept making similar mistakes despite being self aware enough to know they were getting caught in the same cycles and had many opportunities and a lot of time (500 pages worth) to grow. Chapters where the book talked to Benny was a cool format at first until it kept going and I realised they didn't add anything to the story and just repeated what other chapters were already saying. Sections on anti-consumerism and Buddhism etc. injected into the story felt preachy. Glad I didn't finish it after reading reviews saying there was a rushed, unearned, and unrealistic happy ending.
evaribaker's review against another edition
4.0
Very different book with lots of overlapping themes, ideas, and characters. Somehow it all came together, albeit somewhat quickly, but a beautiful read.
aboback's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
cgm616's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ojudson39's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Fatphobia, and Self harm
dogpound's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 rounded up. It took a little long to get where it was going.
okekna's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A beautiful read. I didn't think I would be so absorbed, given the relatively slow pace that the book goes at, but the writing is beautiful and moving. The main characters - son and mother - are flawed, but you feel so much for them, and I found myself rooting really hard for them to find their happiness. The writing's ability to make me love the characters this way was what hooked me and kept me reading to the end.
I loved the conceit of the Book itself being the narrator, speaking not only to the reader but to the protagonist as well. A few times,the boy would react negatively to what the Book was sharing, but the Book itself would treat him with such grace and wisdom that I felt moved. I can find myself reading the book again, at least to flip through and find those words of wisdom that I wish I had noted down the first time.
The mother was also really fascinating. In less adept hands, her hoarding might make me feel frustrated. Instead, I just really felt for her, and consistently rooted for her. Her love and dedication to her son was, I think, what made her so endearing.
I really loved the ending too.I was incredibly moved at how the boy finally moved to defend his mother. I never blamed him for not doing so in the beginning - that's how well the author makes you sympathise with them - but it was still rewarding to see him take that literal step forward. The ending was not a magic wand of 'no more problems' (which I'm glad for!), but injected a lot of hope and progress that felt fair and earned.
I will say that I skimmed through some parts (like when the boywas in that special library room going through a breakdown of sorts - I read this a while back ). But I will say that that is mostly more due to my eagerness to see what happens next.
I loved the conceit of the Book itself being the narrator, speaking not only to the reader but to the protagonist as well. A few times,
The mother was also really fascinating. In less adept hands, her hoarding might make me feel frustrated. Instead, I just really felt for her, and consistently rooted for her. Her love and dedication to her son was, I think, what made her so endearing.
I really loved the ending too.
I will say that I skimmed through some parts (like when the boy
shelflife20's review against another edition
5.0
"...the reader is not a passive receptacle for a book's contents. You are our collaborators, our conspirators, breathing new life into us... Thus, one book, when read by different readers, becomes different books, becomes an ever-changing array of books that flows through human consciousness like a wave."
I picked up The Book of Form and Emptiness during Barnes and Noble's 2021 post-Christmas sale and have made eye contact with it on my bookshelf for the seventeen months since. It's a thick book, and the blurb promised something quirky and meta that would require brain power. I kept putting it off, saying, "Next month when I have a longer attention span," and hoping it would stop staring me down whenever I grabbed a different title, shifting it further back in the TBR.
I would say it was a shame that I waited so long, but Ozeki weaves a tale that proves books have the unique ability to make their way to us when we need them most.
While the plot took some time to gain momentum, our protagonist Benny's voice was clear and fascinating from the jump. His stream of consciousness reminded me fondly of young Oskar Schell in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, who also dealt with the emotions and energy of a boy coming of age in New York City, the sudden loss of his father, and the struggle to find meaning in the emptiness of his grief. Both books were raw and painful but ultimately hopeful in a way that will stick with me for a long time.
To close with the quote above (which I adore), I offer a genuine recommendation of The Book of Form and Emptiness. But to you, it may be a different book entirely--and that's a beautiful thing.
I picked up The Book of Form and Emptiness during Barnes and Noble's 2021 post-Christmas sale and have made eye contact with it on my bookshelf for the seventeen months since. It's a thick book, and the blurb promised something quirky and meta that would require brain power. I kept putting it off, saying, "Next month when I have a longer attention span," and hoping it would stop staring me down whenever I grabbed a different title, shifting it further back in the TBR.
I would say it was a shame that I waited so long, but Ozeki weaves a tale that proves books have the unique ability to make their way to us when we need them most.
While the plot took some time to gain momentum, our protagonist Benny's voice was clear and fascinating from the jump. His stream of consciousness reminded me fondly of young Oskar Schell in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, who also dealt with the emotions and energy of a boy coming of age in New York City, the sudden loss of his father, and the struggle to find meaning in the emptiness of his grief. Both books were raw and painful but ultimately hopeful in a way that will stick with me for a long time.
To close with the quote above (which I adore), I offer a genuine recommendation of The Book of Form and Emptiness. But to you, it may be a different book entirely--and that's a beautiful thing.