I’m trying and failing and trying and failing to put into words the sheer breathtaking beauty of Markus Zusak’s prose. Reading Markus Zusak, my breath flees; lungs starve; hands worry; fingers dance. Eyelids clap in the drizzle of my eyes; eyes cleave open hearts; hearts shout; thunder. And here I sit, speechless; useless. With broken words; inadequate; shattered. The dots scattered; gone.

Marv shares a personal loss, Suzanne Boyd. Ed wants to follow up because he cares about Marv, but the conventions of their friendship preclude that kind of intimacy. He changes the subject to ask how Marv might feel about having a duty but not knowing how to accomplish it, and Marv’s answer foreshadows his conflict with Suzanne Boyd. The two best friends share a sense of frustration, but neither knows the other’s circumstances causing it, like two ships passing in the night nearly colliding. Nothing really ends at the end. Things just keep going as long as memory can wield its ax, always finding a soft part in your mind to cut through and enter. Ed was not your typical hero. He wasn't the brooding or panty-dropping type that are mostly on YA and NA books. He was plain. He was ordinary. And he knows that. He hasn't done anything remarkable in his life... until now.Me: * to readers* Hello and welcome to the next section where we will be analysing the characters Zusak has created and moulded in Messenger, discussing their themes and relationships. First up is our protagonist Ed, and he...well, I believe he can introduce himself better than I possibly could. * turns to ed* Me: * frustrated* Yes he is and you might be cute and hilarious, but don’t spoil it and I’m talking so you will zip it or I will zip you. i have always had a passionate love for the words of marcus zusak. he is my all time favourite author, without a doubt. his writing never fails to make me melt. but over time, that longing desire has transformed into a peaceful comfort. with each reread, it feels like i am coming home. and thats exactly how this book felt. I couldn't help but fall in love his brutal honesty a bit. Mostly when I meet male protagonists they are unabashedly meretricious and boastful about their sexual prowess. So it was nice to have someone different like Ed. But only later did I begin to realize how unique a protagonist Mr. Zusak had presented.

I loved Marv and Richie. One of my greatest weakness in life (I do have a few) is a boy who defends his run-down car to the death, so Marv and his blue Falcon was like cat nip to me. So many of Marv and Ed’s exchanges made me laugh so loudly and I could just imagine boys their age talking like that. Then there was the ending which frankly I didn’t enjoy a whole lot. It wasn’t predictable, but it felt a little like a cop-out. It didn’t ruin the book for me or anything but I wish that the mystery aspect would have been more elaborate, better developed.I think the most wonderful thing about Zusak is the surprising humanity of his characters. Not only do they come alive for the reader, but they also take so many different roles in the process. Their simple acts of kindness often end up being impressive and life-changing. I’d noticed this about so many characters in The Book Thief and I feared it was a one-time deal, but Ed might be the best of them all. In complete contrast to the ending, Ed is one of the most real and tangible characters I’ve ever stumbled upon. The fact that he’s completely unaware of how extraordinary he is just adds to his charm. My only regret is that the same cannot be said about Audrey. I really needed her to be just as well developed, but she was the only one who didn’t feel real to me, and that’s the sole reason for my 4-star rating. I understand why Zusak ended it the way he did, and I didn't entirely hate it, but I just wanted more. More of an explanation, more of a conclusion. I probably would've given this a solid four stars, had that had happened. And when I did get the answer much later, I wanted nothing but shout it out loud. Why ? Simple, because I felt like it. One last remark that I want to mention is the question of righteousness. In the story, Ed does various things to deliver the messages that will in the end up bettering peoples’ lives, bettering humanity. My issue does not concern the “positive” acts but the once in which he employs violence. Whenever something like this happens in a story, I just find myself questioning what is right and wrong. Because who are we to decide what message needs delivering? Who are we to decide how someone else should live? Who are we to pass judgment? Of course the results in the novel are purely positive, but I couldn’t help but wonder if what Ed was doing really was the best course of action.