ruth ozeki the book of form and emptiness review

This is a book that would sit in a certain place for its inferred meaning, its form and its act of genius but for something much more than that, or in this case less, I cannot prescribe it to a place in my top 20 books for example because in every instance it is too much for me. That’s not to say I don’t think its a good book, I just think your own definition of it will be dependant on what you’re reading it for and what you like in a novel.

The structure, content and implications of the novel are ones that I have grappled with continuously and it meant when reading it, I had to leave it for days, sometimes weeks before picking it up again. This novel was one that sat uncomfortably with me for a while, it’s hard to properly grasp where I sit with it because truly, I don’t think I understand it in its fullest form. The Book of Form and Emptiness, Ruth Ozeki, p.

Within the story Ozeki is commenting on how much we consume in terms of writing, whether that is in a traditional format or not, the construction of ones story is all consuming and found in all aspects of our lives. You see chapter exerts from Tidy Magic, emails, different points of view and a myriad of opinions and inner monologues. As you can imagine, the structure of the novel has an important role to play as the font and layout fluctuates within. A clever move from Ozeki as it allows the reader to understand the implications of grief and where Benny sits not only within his head but in the world. You also hear from the author of Tidy Magic who is dealing with her own grief and the change that consequently happens after. The novel is not purely narrated by Benny, his mother Annabelle and his book also has a voice in this story.

Ruth ozeki the book of form and emptiness review