Maybe it's to show that all of our common, everyday stories can be painted with beauty and depth.

Since his fictional Dunbar boys have inherited a deep regard for Homer's classical poetry from their mother, it's probably intentional that their own story should read like an epic too.īut there's nothing complex about the plot, and on the surface, no reason for such sweeping language. They were all considered with meticulous care, and only got to stay if they made the grade. I get the strong impression that no word is there by accident. It probably had to! Zusak is not any common author, but a finely-tuned wordsmith whose storytelling sweeps into poetic imagery on almost every single page. The most likely reason it took so long struck me from the start. With such a perfectly honest admission about an author's vulnerability from his own mouth, I was keen to get started. But now that he's finished, he says Bridge of Clay is like his heart and soul poured out onto the paper. The dry period turned out to be longer than his two kids have been alive, and they never believed their Dad would write a new novel ever. He discussed his 13-year-long writer's block, from the time he finished The Book Thief (see my review) until now. I was privileged to attend a book talk with Markus Zusak, and have my copy signed. Whew, how do I tackle this mammoth that was so long in the pipelines? It's like a celebration of testosterone. The question is, how far is Clay willing to go? And how much can he overcome? As the Dunbar boys love and fight and learn to reckon with the adult world, they discover the moving secret behind their father’s disappearance.Īt the center of the Dunbar family is Clay, a boy who will build a bridge-for his family, for his past, for greatness, for his sins, for a miracle. The breathtaking story of five brothers who bring each other up in a world run by their own rules.

Clay bridge book