A Truly Great Read - Rated 
I must admit that the only reason I read this book, or considered reading it in the first place was because I had read the "The Book Thief" also by Marcus Zusak and found it a truly outstanding read. This is what brought me to read this book but I am glad to have read it. I found this book to be everything you want from a book when you decide to read it, riveting, thought provoking, heart warming moments but also the dark moments (which the author seems to write very well in all his books) which make a book more intersting.
I do not want to go into the details of the book, people can learn them if they decide to read the book themlseves but suffice to say the book moves at a good pace and always has twists and turns (and the occasional belly shaking laugh) which makes it very difficult to put down. The main characters, and even the less important characters, are well introduced and given clear and unique personalities and as in one of the previous reviews I have to agree that the character of Doorman the dog is a fantastic peice of writing by the author. However unlike the previous reviews I would disagree with the fact that this book has anything at all to do with the Da Vinci code or the National Treasure film nor would I agree with the comparison of this book to "My Name is Earl" yes there are some elements of karma in this book, but no more so than any other book, this book is nothing like that show, this book attempts too, and suceeds, in putting acroos a message, a message which I will leave readers to discover themselves.
This book is a truly great read and I would not hesitate in recomending it to anyone
Courtesy of Teens Read Too - Rated
Ed Kennedy is a nineteen-year-old cab driver who is kind of a nobody! He hasn't achieved anything great, isn't a genius, his mom despises him, and his dad died of alcoholism. The only real thing that he has is his dog, named the Doorman, who everyone says desperately needs a bath. And, he's in love with Audrey, a girl from a bad neighborhood, just like him, who also happens to be one of his best friends since forever. The thing is, Audrey doesn't know that Ed is in love with her, and worse yet, she says she doesn't believe in love.
One day, Ed and his friend stop at a local bank, but a robbery begins while they are in line. And Ed stops the guy.
So then he becomes a local hero. He is just trying to live a normal life, and then he gets a playing card in the mail with three addresses and times on it. Ed doesn't know what to do. Should he just throw the card away, like his friends instruct, or should he go to the first address to see what this is all about?
This book would be a good recommendation for fans of THE DA VINCI CODE and the movie National Treasure.
Ed is such a cool character! He seems like such a normal guy, who does things that normal guys do, and lives a very ordinary life. Until he gets the card in the mail, and he's not so ordinary anymore.
Reviewed by: Taylor Rector
I am Earl? - Rated 
Any fans of the TV show 'My Name is Earl' are going to love this book - Karma gone wrong would not be too far from the mark.
The Messenger is Ed,[...]with an old soul and little of value in his life beyond a couple of friends and his dog. (The character of Ed's dog is illustrated with incredible humour and is one of the best developed none-talking roles in literature).
As in The Book Thief, Zusak displays his dark humour and blinding ability to get to the core of the reader, whilst occasionally this can be disquieting I actually found it mostly comforting.
Throughout this 'done before, but not quite like this' novel, Ed meets interesting characters, some loveable, some loathsome but all of whom you end up feeling a slight twinge of sympathy for and perhaps even find the ability to empathise with. Ed has to assist each character with something that is preventing them from living life to the full and as you would expect this gradually gives his life a purpose too.
Whilst this is hardly a heart warming tale (it thankfully has no pretensions of being a `self help novel') it will make you think about what you have done in the past and how you will do things in the future. Comes highly recommended for the enlightened and not so enlightened reader alike.
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