Summary

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//I Am the Messenger// by Markus Zusak is an action packed novel that is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats as they accompany nineteen year old cab driver, Ed Kennedy, on his journey to ultimately find himself. The story opens on the floor of a bank that is being held up by a clumsy and less-than-qualified criminal with ginger hair. Ed and his friends Ritchie, Audrey, and Marv, calmly wait for this theif to carry out this bank robbery while arguing about the poor state of Marv's car to pass the time. Suddenly, just as the criminal is about to make his getaway, Ed seizes the opportunity to stop the theif in his tracks. Overnight, Ed has gone from normal, boring Ed who has no respect from anyone in the community and is hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey, to a local hero and celebrity, in the ranks with other nineteen year old greats like Joan of Arc and Bob Dylan. However, Ed quickly learns that with great fame, whether or not he wanted any recognition whatsoever, comes great responsibility. The first ace arrives in Ed's mailbox soon after the bank holdup. Instantly, Ed is sent on the ride of his life as he is given three addresses on this ace of diamonds of which he must observe and ultimately find a way to help the people who live in these places. While some of the addresses require simple and positive solutions, such as the case with the barefoot runner Sophie or Milla, the lonely, elderly woman, others require a bit more mental and emotional pain on Ed's part. Upon the last completion of the tasks on this specific ace, Ed receives another ace with clues that lead him to three additional addresses for people who need help in some way. At this point, Ed realizes that his life depends on delivering these "messages" to these people. As Ed continues to work through each suit of aces and is visited by several mysterious people who cannot tell him for whom they are working, Ed begins to discover characteristics about himself that he never knew existed. He revisits his past and confronts his future when one of his aces forces him to go face to face with his mother to discover why she despises him so severely. Ed learns that his mother hates him so much because everytime she sees Ed, she is reminded more and more of her worthless drunk of a husband who had recently passed away. As a reflection of his ambitionless father, Ed is frowned upon by his mother. This startling discovery is a major milestone for Ed in the process of moving forward and doing something with his life. After this incident with his mother, Ed is left with one final ace: the ace of hearts. On this ace, three movie titles are given to Ed which lead him to discover that he must help each of his three best friends, Ritchie, Marv, and Audrey. This ace proves to be one of the most challenging for Ed thus far. However, it is also one of the most rewarding aces in that Ed learns more about his friends as individuals which allows their relationships to grow on a much deeper level. Just when Ed thought he had completed his duties as the messenger of the aces, a joker card arrives for him and bears his own address. Now it is time for Ed to realize that he has been on a journey of self discovery this whole time. But who is sending these messages? And more importantly, why is he or she sending them? This is all a part of what Ed Kennedy must ascertain in //I Am the Messenger.//

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