The Book of Form and Emptiness

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After the tragic death of his beloved musician father, fourteen-year-old Benny Oh begins to hear voices from objects in his house—a sneaker, a broken Christmas ornament, a piece of wilted lettuce. While he can't fully understand their words, he senses their emotional tones; some are gentle, while others are filled with anger and pain. As his mother develops a hoarding problem, the voices become increasingly overwhelming. Initially, Benny tries to ignore them, but they soon follow him outside and into school, prompting him to seek refuge in a large public library, where the objects behave and speak in whispers. In this new world, Benny falls for a captivating street artist with a smug pet ferret who performs in the library. He also meets a homeless philosopher-poet who inspires him to ask important questions and find his own voice. Additionally, he encounters a talking Book that narrates his life and teaches him to listen to what truly matters. With its mix of sympathetic characters, a riveting plot, and themes ranging from jazz to climate change and our attachment to material possessions, this narrative is a bold, wise, poignant, playful, humane, and heartbreaking exploration of life.