The Book of Form and Emptiness

More about the book

After the tragic death of his beloved musician father, fourteen-year-old Benny Oh begins to hear voices from the objects in his home—a sneaker, a broken Christmas ornament, a piece of wilted lettuce. While he cannot understand their words, he senses their emotional tones; some are pleasant, while others are angry and filled with pain. As his mother develops a hoarding problem, the cacophony of voices intensifies. Initially, Benny tries to ignore them, but they soon follow him outside and into school, prompting him to seek solace in a large public library, where the objects behave and speak in whispers. In this new world, Benny encounters a captivating street artist with a pet ferret, who uses the library as her stage. He also meets a homeless philosopher-poet who inspires him to ask vital questions and discover his own voice. Additionally, he finds a talking Book that narrates his life and teaches him to listen to what truly matters. With its mix of sympathetic characters, an engaging plot, and exploration of themes like jazz, climate change, and our relationship with material possessions, this story is a bold, wise, poignant, playful, and heartbreaking journey.