544 pages Visitors can view some of BookBrowse for free. This Study Guide consists of approximately 59 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Bridge of Clay. Subscribe to receive some of our best reviews, "beyond the book" articles, book club info, and giveaways by email. Search String: Summary | "Markus Zusak's first novel since his best-selling The Book Thief, left me feeling exasperated and at times utterly bored. At 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. And how much can he overcome? everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Bridge of Clay. All rights reserved. Bridge of Clay is the story of Clay Dunbar and his four brothers, Matthew, Rory, Henry, and Tommy, as they struggle to come to terms with the disappearance — and then sudden reappearance — of their father, in the years that follow the death of their mother. It is unclear why the narrative doesn’t come directly from Clay, and this choice becomes even stranger when it is revealed that all Matthew knows — about Clay, about his parents’ histories, about the supporting characters — has been told to him by Clay. After first digging up a snake skeleton and the bones of a dog, Matthew found the battered typewriter wrapped in plastic. Spam Free: Your email is never shared with anyone; opt out any time. Despite some excellent, lyrical prose this is a novel that would have greatly benefited from an unsparing edit." Bridge of Clay is a teen novel by Australian author Markus Zusak, to be published by Doubleday and released on September 1, 2011. ISBN-13: 9780375845598 Summary An unforgettable and sweeping family saga from the storyteller who gave us the extraordinary bestseller The Book Thief. At 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. Author The most startling aspect of this novel is the strange writing style. It tells the story of five brothers, Clay, Matthew, Rory, Henry, and Tommy Dunbar, who must … As the novel begins, it becomes abundantly clear that Zusak is trying something different from his previous work. Another interesting stylistic choice is the way in which the novel is framed. Information at BookBrowse.com is published with the permission of the copyright holder or their agent. It revolves around five brothers coming to terms with the disappearance of their father. that the reviews shown do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, A lovely boy and an unforgettably lovely book to match." Reviews | Summary. - Dean Muscat There are five boys, a mule, a house in disarray, and a mysterious man called “the Murderer.” While many novels begin in medias res and take a few chapters to reveal pivotal information, Zusak seems to have no motivation to fill in his readers. In the end, it always comes back to Clay, that lovely boy, as a neighbor calls him. Unfortunately, this change of perspective is actually the one saving grace of this novel as the present timeline of the boys is only mildly interesting while the flashbacks allow for some reprieve. He received the Children's Book Council of Australia's Book of the Year Award for I Am the Messenger. Find books by time period, setting & theme, Read-alike suggestions by book and author. $39 for a year. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/bridge-of-clay Want to keep up with breaking news? With heft and historical scope, Zusak creates a sensitively rendered tale of loss, grief, and guilt's manifestations." BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Follow her on twitter at @caroline_tew. An unforgettable and sweeping family saga from Markus Zusak. Matthew as a narrator often inputs unnecessary reminders of his existence: “It’s me, and I’m Matthew, and here I am.” Furthermore, Matthew is obsessed with hinting at information the reader has yet to be told. - Publishers Weekly 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. Narrated by Matthew Dunbar, the story intertwines two timelines which lead up to the present tense of the novel: recent events, focusing on … If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel The typewriter, known as "Old TW" (3), was buried in the back yard of a home now inhabited by a couple called the Merchinsons. Bridge of Clay is a 2018 novel by Australian author Markus Zusak. Furthermore, its fragmentary style (with chapters broken into small scenes that only last a few paragraphs) never allows you to fully settle into the story and will surely test many a reader's patience. However, as a contemporary novel about family, “Bridge of Clay” has its merits. Search: More Information | Genre: Novels Bridge of Clay is a novel that follows Matthew, one of five brothers, who recorded his family's history on a typewriter. "Starred Review. 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