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Markus Zusak

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I Am the Messenger Kindle Edition

by Markus Zusak (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.3 7,528 ratings

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DON’T MISS BRIDGE OF CLAY, MARKUS ZUSAK’S FIRST NOVEL SINCE THE BOOK THIEF AND AN UNFORGETTABLE AND SWEEPING FAMILY SAGA.

From the author of the extraordinary #1 New York Times bestseller The Book Thief, I Am the Messenger is an acclaimed novel filled with laughter, fists, and love.

A MICHAEL L. PRINTZ HONOR BOOK
FIVE STARRED REVIEWS

Ed Kennedy is an underage cabdriver without much of a future. He's pathetic at playing cards, hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey, and utterly devoted to his coffee-drinking dog, the Doorman. His life is one of peaceful routine and incompetence until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery.

That's when the first ace arrives in the mail. That's when Ed becomes the messenger. Chosen to care, he makes his way through town helping and hurting (when necessary) until only one question remains: Who's behind Ed's mission?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up - Nineteen-year-old cabbie Ed Kennedy has little in life to be proud of: his dad died of alcoholism, and he and his mom have few prospects for success. He has little to do except share a run-down apartment with his faithful yet smelly dog, drive his taxi, and play cards and drink with his amiable yet similarly washed-up friends. Then, after he stops a bank robbery, Ed begins receiving anonymous messages marked in code on playing cards in the mail, and almost immediately his life begins to swerve off its beaten-down path. Usually the messages instruct him to be at a certain address at a certain time. So with nothing to lose, Ed embarks on a series of missions as random as a toss of dice: sometimes daredevil, sometimes heartwarmingly safe. He rescues a woman from nightly rape by her husband. He brings a congregation to an abandoned parish. The ease with which he achieves results vacillates between facile and dangerous, and Ed's search for meaning drives him to complete every task. But the true driving force behind the novel itself is readers' knowledge that behind every turn looms the unknown presence - either good or evil - of the person or persons sending the messages. Zusak's characters, styling, and conversations are believably unpretentious, well conceived, and appropriately raw. Together, these key elements fuse into an enigmatically dark, almost film-noir atmosphere where unknowingly lost Ed Kennedy stumbles onto a mystery - or series of mysteries - that could very well make or break his life. - Hillias J. Martin, New York Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 9-12. Ed is a 19-year-old loser only marginally connected to the world; he's the son that not even his mother loves. But his life begins to change after he acts heroically during a robbery. Perhaps it's the notoriety he receives that leads to his receiving playing cards in the mail. Ed instinctively understands that the scrawled words on the aces are clues to be followed, which lead him to people he will help (including some he'll have to hurt first). But as much as he changes those who come into his life, he changes himself more. Two particular elements will keep readers enthralled: the panoply of characters who stream in and out of the story, and the mystery of the person sending Ed on the life-altering missions. Concerning the former, Zusak succeeds brilliantly. Ed's voice is assured and unmistakeable, and other characters, although seen through Ed's eyes, are realistically and memorably evoked (readers will almost smell Ed's odoriferous dog when it ambles across the pages). As for the ending, however, Zusak is too clever by half. He offers too few nuts-and-bolts details before wrapping things up with an unexpected, somewhat unsatisfying recasting of the narrative. Happily, that doesn't diminish the life-affirming intricacies that come before. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

“Funny and gripping.” —The Miami Herald

“Both serious and funny, touching and exciting.” —The Salt Lake Tribune

“Fresh and thought-provoking.” —The Grand Rapids Press

“Raucous, poignant, and at times laugh-out-loud funny.” —BookPage

“Compulsively readable.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred

“Unpretentious, well conceived, and appropriately raw.” —School Library Journal, Starred

“Zusak outdoes himself here.” —The Bulletin, Starred

“Zusak succeeds brilliantly.” —Booklist, Starred

“Funny, engrossing, and suspenseful.” —KLIATT, Starred

From the Back Cover

Meet Ed Kennedy--underage cabdriver, pathetic cardplayer, and useless at romance. He lives in a shack with his coffee-addicted dog, the Doorman, and he's hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey. His life is one of peaceful routine and incompetence, until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery. That's when the first Ace arrives. That's when Ed becomes the messenger. . . .
Chosen to care, he makes his way through town helping and hurting (when necessary), until only one question remains: Who's behind Ed's mission?
Winner of the 2003 Children's Book Council Book of the Year Award in Australia, I Am the Messenger is a cryptic journey filled with laughter, fists, and love.

About the Author

Markus Zusak is the international bestselling author of six novels, including The Book Thief and most recently, Bridge of Clay. His work is translated into more than forty languages, and has spent more than a decade on the New York Times bestseller list, establishing Zusak as one of the most successful authors to come out of Australia.
All of Zusak’s books – including earlier titles, The Underdog, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, When Dogs Cry (also titled Getting the Girl), and The Messenger (or I am the Messenger) – have been awarded numerous honors around the world, ranging from literary prizes to readers choice awards to prizes voted on by booksellers.
In 2013, The Book Thief was made into a major motion picture, and in 2018 was voted one of America’s all-time favorite books, achieving the 14th position on the PBS Great American Read. Also in 2018, Bridge of Clay was selected as a best book of the year in publications ranging from Entertainment Weekly to the Wall Street Journal.
Markus Zusak grew up in Sydney, Australia, and still lives there with his wife and two children.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

the holdup

The gunman is useless.

I know it.

He knows it.

The whole bank knows it.

Even my best mate, Marvin, knows it, and he's more useless than the gunman.

The worst part about the whole thing is that Marv's car is standing outside in a fifteen-minute parking zone. We're all facedown on the floor, and the car's only got a few minutes left on it.

"I wish this bloke'd hurry up," I mention.

"I know," Marv whispers back. "This is outrageous." His voice rises from the depths of the floor. "I'll be getting a fine because of this useless bastard. I can't afford another fine, Ed."

"The car's not even worth it."

"What?"

Marv looks over at me now. I can sense he's getting uptight. Offended. If there's one thing Marv doesn't tolerate, it's someone putting shit on his car. He repeats the question.

"What did you say, Ed?"

"I said," I whisper, "it isn't even worth the fine, Marv."

"Look," he says, "I'll take a lot of things, Ed, but . . ."

I tune out of what he's saying because, quite frankly, once Marv gets going about his car, it's downright pain-in-the-arse material. He goes on and on, like a kid, and he's just turned twenty, for Jesus' sake.

He goes on for another minute or so, until I have to cut him off.

"Marv," I point out, "the car's an embarrassment, okay? It doesn't even have a hand brake--it's sitting out there with two bricks behind the back wheels." I'm trying to keep my voice as quiet as possible. "Half the time you don't even bother locking it. You're probably hoping someone'll flog it so you can collect the insurance."

"It isn't insured."

"Exactly."

"NRMA said it wasn't worth it."

"It's understandable."

That's when the gunman turns around and shouts, "Who's talkin' back there?"

Marv doesn't care. He's worked up about the car.

"You don't complain when I give you a lift to work, Ed, you miserable upstart."

"Upstart? What the hell's an upstart?"

"I said shut up back there!" the gunman shouts again.

"Hurry up then!" Marv roars back at him. He's in no mood now. No mood at all.

He's facedown on the floor of the bank.

The bank's being robbed.

It's abnormally hot for spring.

The air-conditioning's broken down.

His car's just been insulted.

Old Marv's at the end of his tether, or his wit's end. Whatever you want to call it--he's got the shits something terrible.

We remain flattened on the worn-out, dusty blue carpet of the bank, and Marv and I are looking at each other with eyes that argue. Our mate Ritchie's over at the Lego table, half under it, lying among all the pieces that scattered when the gunman came in yelling, screaming, and shaking. Audrey's just behind me. Her foot's on my leg, making it go numb.

The gunman's gun is pointed at the nose of some poor girl behind the counter. Her name tag says Misha. Poor Misha. She's shivering nearly as bad as the gunman as she waits for some zitty twenty-nine-year-old fella with a tie and sweat patches under his arms to fill the bag with money.

"I wish this bloke'd hurry up," Marv speaks.

"I said that already," I tell him.

"So what? I can't make a comment of my own?"

"Get your foot off me," I tell Audrey.

"What?" she responds.

"I said get your foot off me--my leg's going numb."

She moves it. Reluctantly.

"Thanks."

The gunman turns around and shouts his question for the last time. "Who's the bastard talking?"

The thing to note with Marv is that he's problematic at the best of times. Argumentative. Less than amiable. He's the type of friend you find yourself constantly arguing with--especially when it comes to his shitbox Falcon. He's also a completely immature arsehole when he's in the mood.

He calls out in a jocular manner, "It's Ed Kennedy, sir. It's Ed who's talking!"

"Thanks a lot!" I say.

(My full name's Ed Kennedy. I'm nineteen. I'm an underage cabdriver. I'm typical of many of the young men you see in this suburban outpost of the city--not a whole lot of prospects or possibility. That aside, I read more books than I should, and I'm decidedly crap at sex and doing my taxes. Nice to meet you.)

"Well, shut up, Ed!" the gunman screams. Marv smirks. "Or I'll come over there and shoot the arse off you!"

It's like being in school again and your sadistic math teacher's barking orders at you from the front of the room, even though he couldn't care less and he's waiting for the bell so he can go home and drink beer and get fat in front of the telly.
I look at Marv. I want to kill him. "You're twenty years old, for Christ's sake. Are you trying to get us killed?"

"Shut up, Ed!" The gunman's voice is louder this time.

I whisper even quieter. "If I get shot, I'm blaming you. You know that, don't you?"

"I said shut up, Ed!"

"Everything's just a big joke, isn't it, Marv?"

"Right, that's it." The gunman forgets about the woman behind the counter and marches over to us, fed up as all buggery. When he arrives we all look up at him.
Marv.

Audrey.

Me.

And all the other hopeless articles like us sprawled out on the floor.

The end of the gun touches the bridge of my nose. It makes it itchy. I don't scratch it.

The gunman looks back and forth between Marv and me. Through the stocking on his face I can see his ginger whiskers and acne scars. His eyes are small and he has big ears. He's most likely robbing the bank as a payback on the world for winning the ugliness prize at his local fete three years running.

"So which one of you's Ed?"

"Him," I answer, pointing to Marv.

"Oh no you don't," Marv counters, and I can tell by the look on his face that he isn't as afraid as he should be. He knows we'd both be dead by now if this gunman was the real thing. He looks up at the stocking-faced man and says, "Hang on a sec. . . ." He scratches his jawline. "You look familiar."

"Okay," I admit, "I'm Ed." But the gunman's too busy listening to what Marv has to say for himself.

"Marv," I whisper loudly, "shut up."

From AudioFile

When hapless cabdriver Ed Kennedy offhandedly stops a bank robbery, someone takes notice. The Ace of Diamonds appears in his mailbox with three addresses written on it. Ed is supposed to deliver a message to these addresses, but no one is telling him what that message is. All he is told is that his life depends on it. Narrator Marc Aden Gray not only nails the fatalistic and hilarious voice of Ed, but also gives voice to the innumerable characters Ed encounters. With his unique voices, particularly those of a barefoot runner, an elderly widow, and Ed's own coffee-drinking dog, Gray seems to delight in each twist of author Markus Zusak's dialogue. The message, then, is quite clear--this is an audio experience not to be missed. K.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B001BZRUR4
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Knopf Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (December 18, 2007)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 18, 2007
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 6024 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 370 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #171,943 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #33 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction about Self-Esteem
- #105 in Teen & Young Adult Coming of Age Fiction eBooks
- #121 in Children's Mystery & Detective Adventure

Customer Reviews:
4.3 7,528 ratings

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Markus Zusak

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Markus Zusak is the international bestselling author of six novels, including The Book Thief and most recently, Bridge of Clay. His work is translated into more than forty languages, and has spent more than a decade on the New York Times bestseller list, establishing Zusak as one of the most successful authors to come out of Australia.

All of Zusak’s books – including earlier titles, The Underdog, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, When Dogs Cry (also titled Getting the Girl), The Messenger (or I am the Messenger) – have been awarded numerous honours around the world, ranging from literary prizes to readers choice awards to prizes voted on by booksellers.

In 2013, The Book Thief was made into a major motion picture, and in 2018 was voted one of America’s all-time favourite books, achieving 14th position on the PBS Great American Read. Also in 2018, Bridge of Clay was selected as a best book of the year in publications ranging from Entertainment Weekly to the Wall Street Journal.

Markus Zusak grew up in Sydney, Australia, and still lives there with his wife and two children.

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Alaskagal49

Call me odd: I kinda liked the Faustian ending

Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2013

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So, huge spoiler alert. Whoop, whoop, whoop! Whoop, whoop, whoop! Spoiler alert! You know, I read this book because I read "The Book Thief" first. Did I like "The Book Thief"? Yeah, I did. Did I like this book better? Oh, yeah. Much better. Why did I like this book better? You know, I wouldn't have been able to tell you unless you've read both books. Having read "The Book Thief", do I want to see the movie? Well, kinda--only to see how the star-studded cast can bring the beautifully written story to screen. When I read that the movie doesn't address the two books that Max writes for Liesel, the major turning, revolving, focusing points of the novel, I immediately swore off seeing the movie. Then I read that Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson were casted ... and so, am in conflict.

I appreciate a writer who leaves much of the ending of a story to my mind, so that I can create and develop the pictures and plots in my mind. In "The Book Thief", we have Death playing a speaking role--almost to the point of where I felt, as a reader, that I was beaten over the head with the fact that Death was in the forefront and taking an active role. Yes, yes, Death. Okay, gotcha, let's move along. I was also confounded, or conflicted, when there were these sections of airy prose--not prose, yeah prose--thrown into the mix BIG and BOLD and COMMANDING. I didn't know the source. Maybe I was just stupid, or had too much too drink. It wasn't revealed until whatever chapter that it was our Ms. Liesel who was writing these BIG and BOLD and COMMANDING passages. Wow, when I understood this--like I said, I might have been behind all cheering on Death for narrating and cleverly leading us down a path where Ms. Liesel would taking the jumping off point. Whew! Boy, howdy. When I had that realization, the novel completely opened up and I read it again from the beginning so I could absorb, and intrinsically know, breathe even, the essence of Ms. Liesel. Then the novel was, holy cow, for teens? Pfft. For everyone. Period.

Okay, so where was I? Oh, yeah, this book. I think when one reads that the English version of this novel is titled "I Am the Messenger" but in other languages the novel is titled "The Message". I think that if you view the novel through the looking-glass of the novel as "The Message" rather than "I Am the Messenger" I might persuade you to see/read the novel my way. In this novel, the protagonist--Christ on a cracker. Sorry, let me just be me.

In this novel, our wanna-be hero, Ed, is living a bland and bleak life: SSDD, in other words, and I apologize I offend with my language: Same Shit, Different Day. He isn't living live, he is simply existing--that is, until he finds himself as a potential hostage in a bank robbery and steps outside *cringes from the overused reference* his box and well, saves the day. He then is the recipient of a playing card with a task. Okay, folk. So those of you who were "surprised" by the ending? Who in the heck did you think were sending the cards? To make a long story short, Ed learns it's the little things, sometimes the odd things, the different ways of connecting and validating folk for who they are in their world and sorting through the flotsam and jetsam of "Hi, how are you?" and "Nice day, isn't it?". In other words he takes a stand and does that which he believes is right for him and his heart; just right for who-he-is-right-now-and-crap-to-all-the-rest.

So then, to the ending that a bunch o' folk didn't like, but I did. Okay, so who is a big fan of SF out there, anybody? Christ, doesn't anyone "do" metaphors anymore, or is it just me? Ed is visited by this little guy; a youngin' whom I see as, seasonally appropriate and for lack of a better term, the ghost of Christmas past. The little guy ain't Ed, but he's an apparition of a kinda' Ed, of a youngish' Ed, or *gasp* could it be the devil appearing in a form that is likable and unoffensive to our *snicker* Mr. Ed reminding him of the difference of who he was then and who is is now? I have a quote, but can't reach it as my Kindle is in the other room, and I have a Chocolate Labrador named Luna lying on my feet impeding my progress whilst begging for treats.

I'm paraphrasing thanks to Luna: the little guy holds a mirror up to Ed and asks him if he is "looking at a dead man now?" And Ed, in a whisper, in a flood, sees all "those places and people again" (my husband called Luna out for treats so I was able to rescue my Kindle).

Not to be a smart-ass, because, well, I am one, who can't see from the obvious writing and the mysterious little guy holding a mirror up to our protagonist asking him to reflect upon his life, can't see the obvious that the little guy is and/or could be Mephistopheles. Not that Ed every actively and/or overtly wished for a change of life through the devil; I think it was understated and pretty darn clear through the writing. Oh, that and I totally loved when Ed told off his mom and said something like, "It doesn't matter who I am there, it matter who I am and the changes that I make here." Again, paraphrasing as Luna has once again settled on my feet and my Kindle is far, far away.

Again, I could be wrong. Call me odd, loved the book, the ending, and must give props to the writer for following a life-long dream of published author.

6 people found this helpful

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Jessica B.

Inspiring book that is not preachy at all

Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2016

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I was inspired by the main character Ed’s very normal life. Maybe normal is too nice a word. His life is more mediocre. He doesn’t have any ambitions or achievements or direction really. The story is about him receiving anonymous cards in the mail that challenge him to help people. He changes their lives in small and big ways just by being observant. It made me want to observe and serve others more. If an ordinary guy can help in small ways, then so can I.

After reading I Am The Messenger, I got that chance.

I saw a guy shopping for baby formula at the grocery store. He would look at a can of baby formula for a minute and put it back. Then he’d look at another can. Then he’d put it back. I found this strange and fascinating. Most people quickly dump 8 cans of the exact same formula in their shopping cart and hurry off. I have never seen someone compare types of baby formula so carefully.

This guy was taking his time for some reason. I continued to watch him (he didn’t notice because he was now scrutinizing a fifth can of formula) and tried to figure out what situtation would make someone shop for formula like that. He must never have bought it before. Maybe he has a wife at home with a screaming newborn baby and was instructed to “get formula” only to find the grocery store has 473829 kinds. And now he doesn’t know what kind to get. So I went up to him and helped explain the difference between the 439280 kinds of formula and gave him a coupon. He seemed grateful. I imagined him going home to his wife victorious because he’d gotten the right formula AND used a coupon.

It’s not life changing or anything. That being said, Ed didn’t feel like he was doing anything life changing either.

It’s not a big thing, but I guess it’s true— big things are often just small things that are noticed.

-Markus Zusak, I Am the Messenger (p. 221).

But it reminded me that kindness, true kindness, comes from listening and observing others to see what they really need. Small acts of kindness are big in their own way.

The reason this story works is because it’s crude, crass, biting, sarcastic, and full of swearing. Let me explain. The writing hides the preachiness of the story so well that I really enjoyed reading it and it wasn’t until the end that I realized I learned something. I’m not saying something has to be crude for you to learn something. But hiding a story about serving others in a crude story might accidentally teach someone something when all they had really intended was to pick up an entertaining book. Making it a little crude can also make the story relatable so you close the book feeling like the character did things that you are more than capable of doing, too.

There were some parts of the writing that I found so beautiful. Here’s one of my favorite quotes. I just love how Markus Zusak takes a cliche saying and switches the words around to paint a lovely picture:

Quietly, Marv cries.

His hands appear to be dripping on the wheel. The tears grip his face. They hold on and slide reluctantly for his throat.

-Markus Zusak, I Am the Messenger (p. 316).

I like that the tears grip his face instead of his hands gripping the wheel. But I can still imagine the image of tears gripping his face like he’s trying so hard not to cry but he can’t help it. I find it so beautiful for some reason.

18 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer

Great writing!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 26, 2024

Verified Purchase

Marcus Zusak has his own style and writes beautifully. Each book has it's own different structure and it's always a pleasure to follow the story and discover where it is leading. This one is a hilarious and at the same very touching story. I laughed and cried. It feels like Marcus is a very sensitive person and takes pride in his stories being perfectly constructed and written.
The only thing I didn't like, which was even more pronounced in 'Bridge of Clay', was men's violence against each other - senseless beatings. It might be more common in Australia, although past and current wars proof that it's everywhere. As a woman, I just don't get it.

Katia Novikova

Funny and gripping, I couldn’t put it down.

Reviewed in Spain on July 21, 2022

Verified Purchase

One of the best books I read this year!

Megha

*Must read this novel

Reviewed in India on June 19, 2021

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Amazing novel. This messenger is delivering a beautiful message "Maybe everyone can live beyond what they are capable of". I've read Book thief previously, loved Markus Zusak way of writing, expressing and delivering feelings. Everyone should read this novel at least once.

KAREN

Very strange idea

Reviewed in Mexico on February 8, 2019

Verified Purchase

I did read the whole book but could never agree with the logic the main character followed. It wasn't a story that I enjoyed very much.

teacher

Perfect for high school English or anyone else

Reviewed in Canada on April 26, 2014

Verified Purchase

I liked this novel so much that I asked my department head at school to order two class sets. He balked at the idea until I had other colleagues read the novel and they loved it as much as I did. It is full of imagery, ideas and keeps you guessing what will happen until the very last page. To be honest, I am still thinking about the last page and the meaning behind the story.
The novel is provocative, easy to read and yet leaves you scratching your head wondering if there is more than meets the eye. There is and it all starts with picking it up and not wanting to put it down again until you have finished reading.

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