The Book of Form and Emptiness
Bold
Expressive
Unique

The Book of Form and Emptiness

Ruth Ozeki2021
A brilliantly inventive new novel about loss, growing up, and our relationship with things, by the Booker Prize-finalist author of A Tale for the Time Being After the tragic death his beloved musician father, fourteen-year-old Benny Oh begins to hear voices. The voices belong to the things in his house--a sneaker, a broken Christmas ornament, a piece of wilted lettuce. Although Benny doesn't understand what these things are saying, he can sense their emotional tone; some are pleasant, a gentle hum or coo, but others are snide, angry and full of pain. When his mother, Annabelle, develops a hoarding problem, the voices grow more clamorous. At first, Benny tries to ignore them, but soon the voices follow him outside the house, onto the street and at school, driving him at last to seek refuge in the silence of a large public library, where objects are well-behaved and know to speak in whispers. There, Benny discovers a strange new world, where "things happen." He falls in love with a mesmerizing street artist with a smug pet ferret, who uses the library as her performance space. He meets a homeless philosopher-poet, who encourages him to ask important questions and find his own voice amongst the many. And he meets his very own Book--a talking thing--who narrates Benny's life and teaches him to listen to the things that truly matter. With its blend of sympathetic characters, riveting plot, and vibrant engagement with everything from jazz, to climate change, to our attachment to material possessions, The Book of Form and Emptiness is classic Ruth Ozeki--bold, wise, poignant, playful, humane and heartbreaking.
Sign up to use

Reviews

Photo of Valerie Yang
Valerie Yang@val_yang
3 stars
Oct 14, 2024
Photo of Nate
Nate@wiredfractal
4 stars
Oct 7, 2024
Bold
Beautiful
Ambitious
Conceptual
Photo of Ryan Mateyk
Ryan Mateyk@the_rybrary
5 stars
Jul 4, 2024
Photo of maitha mana
maitha mana@maithalikesapplepies
3 stars
Apr 3, 2024
Photo of Shohini Gupta
Shohini Gupta@shohini
3.5 stars
Feb 12, 2024
Photo of julia
julia@shoujul
3 stars
Jan 8, 2024
Comforting
Photo of Magdalena
Magdalena@mnrimgreadssometimes
3.5 stars
Aug 14, 2023
Photo of anu
anu@ankitha
3 stars
Jul 1, 2023
Photo of Isabela Ospina
Isabela Ospina@isaospina
2 stars
Jun 12, 2023
Erratic
Touching
Photo of Kathy Luo
Kathy Luo@katfluo
2 stars
May 16, 2023
Photo of Karis Ryu
Karis Ryu@karisr
4 stars
May 16, 2023
Photo of Kitty Carter
Kitty Carter @kittysophiec
2.5 stars
Apr 23, 2023
Unique
Profound
Inventive
Repetitive
Long winded
Contemplative
Heartbreaking
Photo of Anyaconda
Anyaconda@kaffeeklatschandbooks
2 stars
Apr 7, 2023
Photo of Victoria Justice
Victoria Justice@litatori
4 stars
Feb 28, 2023
Bold
Unique
Touching
Inventive
Photo of Jessica Geddis
Jessica Geddis @jessicageddis
4 stars
Nov 25, 2022
Photo of Stephanie Highfield
Stephanie Highfield @shighfi
5 stars
Sep 13, 2022
Photo of Katie Chua
Katie Chua@kchua
4 stars
Aug 13, 2022
Photo of Fraser Simons
Fraser Simons@frasersimons
5 stars
Jun 9, 2022
Photo of Mira McMahon
Mira McMahon@miramcm
3 stars
Mar 19, 2022
Photo of Ramani P
Ramani P@ramani
4 stars
Dec 9, 2021
Unique
Photo of Anika | @chaptersofmay
Anika | @chaptersofmay@chaptersofmay
4 stars
Nov 7, 2021
Honest
Expressive
Meaningful
Fascinating
Photo of Sage McParland
Sage McParland@sagemcp
4.5 stars
May 14, 2024
Photo of 의.
의.@loregeek
3 stars
Feb 7, 2024
Photo of refutabilitas
refutabilitas@d333cimal
4 stars
Jan 8, 2024

Highlights

Photo of Magdalena
Magdalena@mnrimgreadssometimes
Page 307