Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

This was the second book I read this summer (the first was Everfound), and I hate to say that it was my least favorite.  The book takes place during and post 9/11, which is why I felt compelled to read it.  Oskar Schell, the protagonist, is a child whose father died in one of the towers.  He and his father had a special relationship, and they used to play games.  After 9/11, Oscar comes across a key in an envelope that says "Black" on it that he believes belonged to his father.  He goes on a quest to figure out what this key belongs to, believing it to be a final game from his father.

The problem I had with this book was that it was very dense, and I didn't feel connected to Oskar or his quest.  The side plot about Oskar's grandmother and her husband was okay, but it was underdeveloped.  I have yet to see the film based on this book.  Perhaps that is better than the book (which would be rare).

Foer, Jonathan Safran. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005.