Bridge Of Clay (Book)

 Bridge Of Clay

          Bridge of Clay- a beautiful heart-warming book by Markus Zusak. He has written a few books, however, the most famous remains The Book Thief. The book is globally popular and has won many awards. It was the narrative of The Book Thief which prompted me to read this book by Markus. The Book Thief was unique in the sense that it was written from the perspective of death. Death was personified. It was a thoroughly researched book set during World War II. However, Bridge of Clay is something different. It is set in Sydney, the current home of the author. The book is clearly written from the heart and it touched my soul. Many books are written but only a few books touch the reader. For everyone, it's a different book. For me, Bridge of Clay is one of those books.

"He needs to hurt nearly enough to kill him," he said, "because that's how we goddamn live."

          It is the story of a Dunbar boy named Clay. One of the five Dunbar brothers. It is also the story of Mathew Dunbar, Rory Dunbar, Henry Dunbar, and Tommy Dunbar. One of the major storylines is that of the mother of the Dunbar boys, Penelope Dunbar. The smaller storylines include the story of the father, Micheal Dunbar, and Clay's girlfriend Carey Novac. Obviously, it also the story of all the pets living at the Dunbar house. 

In the beginning, there was one murderer, one mule, and one boy. But this isn't the beginning, it's before it.

          Michael Dunbar was a murder. But he didn't actually kill. Then why was he called the murderer? Achilles was the mule, one of the five pets of the Dunbar home. How did a mule end up as a pet? Why was the mule so special? The boy is Clay Dunbar, who built the bridge. Why did he build a bridge? What was so significant about the bridge that the author wrote a whole book about it?

          Bridge of Clay is Clay Dunbar's story. However, it is narrated by Mathew Dunbar. Therefore, it is his story too. The novel begins with Penelope's story. She immigrated from the Soviet Union to Sydney when she was just 18 years old. The novel gives a glimpse of her old life and eventually her new life. She is one of the main reasons for the existence of the story. Despite her sad ending like Carey Novac. Next, there is Michael Dunbar, the murderer or as I would term it... the abandoner. Lastly, the novel is about the five brothers and their life, their struggles, and their adventures. The destination is revealed at the beginning of the book itself. It is the journey that is narrated in a zig-zag fashion.  

          The book has a variety of wonderfully moving themes about loyalty, family, love, and grief and of course about building bridges- to take us to people we love, to move from the past and to the present, and to pave a way forward. The most heartbreaking thing about this gorgeous book is that it gets its reader hooked very late. There were times I almost abandoned the book but something kept me going. Something was there that had to be read by me and I am glad I read it.

Rating: 4.5/5

(The book is almost perfect. It's just that the captivating power kicks in late.)