Bridge of Clay // Review
Published: 9th October 2018 by Picador Australia
Format: Paperback
Pages: 592
ISBN: 9781760559922
RRP: $32.99
Format: Paperback
Pages: 592
ISBN: 9781760559922
RRP: $32.99
★ ★ ★ ★
Bridge of Clay is about a boy who is caught in the current - of destroying everything he has, to become all he needs to be. He's a boy in search of greatness, as a cure for memory and tragedy. He builds a bridge to save his family, but also to save himself. It's an attempt to transcend humanness, to make a single, glorious moment:
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I don't know when and I don't know how, but at some point Bridge of Clay sucked me in and then turned around and hit me right in the feels.
There is no denying that this is a Slow™ book. One of the slowest. And at almost 600 pages long, it's an absolute brick. Bridge of Clay is pretty much entirely character-driven; in fact, with all the jumping back and forth between different characters and events in the past, for a long time, it's unclear what the plot actually is.
So let me tell you. It's about Clay (the fourth of five brothers) and his relationships: with his brothers, his mother, his father, and a girl called Carey; and how these relationships helped shape not only his life but the lives of everyone else as well. At its heart, it's simply a story about growing up; about life, love, and loss. And it's beautiful.
Although it was a bit of a hard slog to get through the first 200-odd pages, it was so worth it. The story of quiet, unassuming Clay Dunbar's life is both touching and heart-wrenching. And the poetic prose, although unusual, illustrates once again just how talented a writer Zusak really is.
It's unlikely that Bridge of Clay will achieve the international success or critical acclaim of The Book Thief, but if you're patient and willing to put in the effort, you too might fall in love with the Dunbar boys.
There is no denying that this is a Slow™ book. One of the slowest. And at almost 600 pages long, it's an absolute brick. Bridge of Clay is pretty much entirely character-driven; in fact, with all the jumping back and forth between different characters and events in the past, for a long time, it's unclear what the plot actually is.
So let me tell you. It's about Clay (the fourth of five brothers) and his relationships: with his brothers, his mother, his father, and a girl called Carey; and how these relationships helped shape not only his life but the lives of everyone else as well. At its heart, it's simply a story about growing up; about life, love, and loss. And it's beautiful.
Although it was a bit of a hard slog to get through the first 200-odd pages, it was so worth it. The story of quiet, unassuming Clay Dunbar's life is both touching and heart-wrenching. And the poetic prose, although unusual, illustrates once again just how talented a writer Zusak really is.
It's unlikely that Bridge of Clay will achieve the international success or critical acclaim of The Book Thief, but if you're patient and willing to put in the effort, you too might fall in love with the Dunbar boys.
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Markus Zusak is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the multi-award-winning novels The Underdog, Fighting Reuben Wolfe, When Dogs Cry, The Messenger, and The Book Thief. He has been translated into more than forty languages and is commonly lauded as one of the most successful authors to come out of Australia.
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Niamh, xo.
Whenever I hear the name I think of The Book Thief (although I still haven't read that one yet). I've been reading so many ginormous books lately (the one I just finished was 880 pages) that I might have to wait a while to try this one out. Although it sounds interesting... some day.
ReplyDeleteWow, that was a ginormous book! I can understand wanting to wait before reading another large tome. I enjoyed The Book Thief more than Bridge of Clay but I think both are definitely worth the read!
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