In the wake of his father's untimely death, fourteen-year-old Benny Oh's world is shattered, giving rise to an unexpected consequence: he starts hearing voices. Not the voices of people, but of objects. A sneaker whispers, a piece of wilted lettuce sighs, and a broken Christmas ornament murmurs. These voices, each imbued with their own emotions and secrets, begin to crowd Benny's mind, especially as his mother, Annabelle, succumbs to hoarding, turning their home into a cacophony of silent screams. Amidst the chaos, Benny finds solace in the one place where objects speak in hushed tones: the public library. It is here, in this haven of whispers, that Benny's journey into understanding and acceptance truly begins. Ruth Ozeki's "The Book of Form and Emptiness" is a mesmerizing tapestry of grief, growth, and the intimate relationships we share with the material world. As Benny navigates a path cluttered with challenges, from confronting his mother's disorder to deciphering the voices only he can hear, he encounters figures both enlightening and eccentric: a captivating street artist, a homeless philosopher, and a most peculiar book that narrates his life. Through these interactions, Benny learns to listen to what matters most, embarking on a quest not just for peace, but for identity. Ozeki crafts a narrative that is at once playful and profound, a reflection on our times that weaves jazz, climate change, and the essence of human connection into a story that resonates with the heartbreak and hope of existence.
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