i am the messenger

i picked up this book by markus zusak because i loved the book thief so much. it's a michael l. printz award winner which is a plus as i am trying to read some of those, but really, i wanted to read this book because of association.

ed kennedy's life is pretty lame - he drives a cab, plays cards, takes care of a nasty-smelling dog, and tries to deal with the fact that he is totally in love with his best friend audrey who for sure is interested in him that way. but things start to change for him when he happens to be in a bank which is robbed - and he sort of accidentally stops the robbery.

not long after, ed receives an ace of diamonds card in the mail with 3 addresses and times written on them. not having a clue of what is going on, ed visits the places and times named and learns that he has been chosen to help people - whether he wants to or not. thugs keep a watch and give him some not so gentle encouragement to keep at it. ed works his way through the aces, the clubs, the spades, and the diamonds - each card leading him to three people in whose lives he can make a difference. and of course as he does, ed tries to figure out who could possibly be wanting him to do this.

as ed continues his mission, his view of his family, his friends, and his life changes...how could they not? but ed's final message is powerful although i had to read the end again to try to figure out exactly what happend. this book is about what people can be...how we can help each other. not in a everyone hold hands and sing together way though. Everybody has pain and problems. we can be something more, something better, if we have it in us to look at other people's pain and then try to do something about it.