‘Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close’ a moving tale of grief, growth

As stated by his own personal business card, 9-year-old Oskar Schell is an inventor, jewelry designer, jewelry fabricator, amateur entomologist, Francophile, vegan, origamist, pacifist, percussionist, amateur astronomer, computer consultant, amateur archaeologist and a collector of: rare coins, butterflies that died natural deaths, miniature cacti, Beatles memorabilia, semiprecious stones and other things.

More than that, he's the protagonist in Jonathan Safran Foer's awe-inspiring novel, "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close."

Foer weaves three different perspectives into the novel: Oskar's, his grandmother's and his grandfather's, detailing the tangled webs that are their lives.

Oskar takes readers on a quest through the streets of Manhattan as he searches for a lock that will fit a mysterious key he found among his deceased father's possessions.

Gently mixing in the events of 9/11, the cause of Oskar's father's death, Foer magnificently tells a tale of grief, discovery and growing up.

Along his path, Oskar ends up meeting a variety of colorful people who try to aid him in his task. The things Oskar finds while searching for the lock end up being so much more important than any tangible item: understanding, love, hope.

The other narrators, Oskar's grandparents, tell the tale of their childhoods, their years as a couple and their tragic separation.

Because Foer developed such genuinely interesting characters, the perspective changes are an exciting transition that prepare readers to delve into any of the three narrators' fascinating lives.

Foer's portrayal of the precocious Oskar Schell is why this book remains in one's heart long after the final page has been read.

Oskar is a complex combination of a naive child and a wise soul far beyond his years, and the things he says reflect this. Whether he's inventing some ingenious concept, such as shower water that would turn your skin the color of your mood so that everyone would always know how you feel and treat you accordingly, or simply sharing a conversation with one of the wacky characters he meets along his journey, it's hard to finish the novel without wanting to go in search of Oskar and give him a hug.

Aside from the exquisite characters and plot lines, what makes this novel stand out from others is Foer's unique style. Utilizing images, typography and other innovative methods, Foer did not intend to create a mere book, he intended to transport his audience into his world that one wishes more than anything was not simply a figment of his imagination.