Reader Recommendation

I like the writer's style; he is funny as well as blunt. I also think that it is intriguing how the main character has "conversations with his dog". I am glad that Ed is going to try to make the lives of these poeple better. I don't like the fact that the women is being raped in the first house. I would recommend this to a high school or older reader because it deals with violence, bad language, and sexual content, but it is definitely is worth reading.

Character Developement, Conflict Resolution, Best and Worst Parts

Ed starts out an innocent person, but as he helps others he gains confidence and sees that he really is a hero to all of these people. He realizes that he doesn't have to be a lonely cab driver. He can go out into the world and get what he wants.
Audrey learns to embrace love. Marv goes and speaks to the women he loves, and grows up. He finds happiness. Ritchie decides to change and live his life. Ed's mom starts to appreciate Ed a little more.

The conflict was that Ed hated his life, wanted to find more to it, and he wanted to find out who was sending the cards to him and why. This conflict is resolved when Ed starts helping people. He gains confidence and sees that the sky is the limit. He finds out who is sending the cards when the man shows up at his house. Markus Zusak is the card sender and he sends them because Ed and all of the readers need to see that anything can be done if you believe in yourself.

The best part is when Ed sees the satisfaction on the faces of all of the people that he has helped. He feels good about himself and it makes the reader feel good as well. Also, I like it at the end when he finally gets together with Audrey. The worst parts would be when he is beat up by a bunch of kids, he has to watch a women being raped, and when he feels completely alone in the world. But, I guess that you have to go through hardships to really enjoy the good times!

350 Page Update!

Ed tells Ritchie that he won't stop helping him. He even goes as far as to say that Ritchie is a disgrace and lazy. One night, Ed goes over to Ritchie's. Ritchie comes out and asks Ed to go for a walk with him. They go to the river. Ritchie walks into it and then he tells Ed that he wants to want. Ritchie decides to get a job and make something of himself.

Next is Marv, Ed isn't sure what he wants. He decides to ask Marv for money to see why Marv never spends any of his money. He tells Ed that the money is locked away for a few years because he is saving it for someone. Marv tells Ed about why Suzanne Boyd, the girl that Marv is in love with, left. She left because Marv got her pregnant. He is saving up fifty thousand dollars for his child and he has never even seen it. Ed convinces Marv to go see her in Auburn, the town she moved to. Ed drives Marv to the house, and the father comes out and beats up Marv. Ed tells the man that at least Marv cares about the kid and is saving money for her. The dad is in awe that Ed had the courage to stand up to him. Later, Suzanne calls Ed and Ed picks her up with his taxi. He takes Suzanne and her daughter to a playground to meet up with Marv. Marv plays with his daughter, Melinda, and he is so happy that he cries.

Audrey comes last, he knows that she needs to embrace love instead of hide from it. When she was only a little girl, her family hurt her and she is afraid to get close to anyone. Ed goes over to her house and watches her. Every night, he watches Audrey's house. Simon comes over every night, they have sex, and then he leaves in the morning. One morning Ed waits until Simon, the boyfriend, leaves. He brings a radio and makes Audrey dance in the parking lot with him for three minutes. For three wonderful minutes, Audrey is able to love and be loved. Then, Ed leaves knowing that his message has been delivered.

Ed thinks that he is done, but in reality there is one more card to deliver. He finds there is a card in his mailbox. It is a Joker with the address 26 Shipping Street; this is his address. He doesn't know what to do so he waits. A man comes to his house and tells him to go to the cemetery. At the cemetery, Keith and Daryl wait for him. They tell him that his father didn't plan this and that he was to wait a little longer. He waits and finally a man in his taxi tells Ed to go to his house. While he is driving, he realizes that the passenger is the bank robber. The man has Ed go to all of the place where he sent messages. He asks Ed if he remembers what he told him early. The bank robber told Ed that when he is looking in the mirror he is looking at a dead man. He pulls out a mirror and asks Ed if he sees a dead man now. Ed says no!

They return to Ed's house and the card sender is there. He has been watching Ed for a year and knows everything about him. He has documented all of Ed's travels. He tells Ed that he killed his father, made the man beat his wife, and had Keith and Daryl help Ed. The card sender is Markus Zusak, the author, and Ed isn't the messenger, he is the message! If Ed can do all of these things then anyone can do anything that their heart desires.

After the author leaves, Audrey comes back and tells Ed that she loves him and wants to stay with him for good. They finally get to express the love that they have always felt.

300 Page Update!

The third place that Ed visits with the Ace of Spades is an old movie theatre on Bell Street. Once there, he watches Casablanca. The person that owns the theatre is named Bernie; he is a sleepy old man. He tells Ed that Keith and Daryl said he was coming, and asks Ed to come back for a free movie. Ed decides to bring Audrey and they watch Cool Hand Luke. They invite Bernie to sit with them. He does and Audrey ends up holding hands with Bernie and Ed. This is the message that Ed needed to deliver to Bernie. When Ed looks up, he sees a man in the projection room. They run up there and find a tape. It is a tape of Ed at his last five message deliveries. When the get back to their seats, there is the Ace of Hearts with the names Cat Ballou, Roman Holiday, and The Suitcase. He feels his heart beat with the Ace of Hearts.

For Christmas, Ed gives all the people he helped messages on Aces. Ed and his friends have Christmas at his house. Marv has to kiss The Doorman because he didn't have Christmas at his place. They go to the Christmas bonfire in town and Angie gives Ed an ice cream cone. After that, he walks to the cemetary and feels lonely at his dad's grave. Marv and Ritchie stay the night and on Christmas he goes to his mom's house. When she insults him, he fights back and this is a big change for him. He is finally standing up for himself. He brings Milla to his house and they have dinner together. She gives him a new suit for Christmas. He takes a taxi to Milla's and Audrey's boyfriend is his driver. He tells Ed that Audrey really does love Ed not him.

After that, Ed goes to see Bernie. He finds out that the clues of the card are the names of movies. The main actors have names similar to his three best friends: Ritchie, Marv, and Audrey. These are the people he must help. Ed goes over to Ritchie's house and watches him. Daryl and Keith show up with meat pies and tell Ed that he knows what to do. Ed sees that Ritchie is lonely and has no goals. Ritchie finds out that he is being watched and tells Ed to stop following him.

Archetypal Actions and Events

At first, Ed goes through a death. His dad dies and he feels lonely. He always fights with his mother all the time. These are both rights of initiation in the real world.

When Ed gets the cards, he sets out on a journey to find out the meaning of the cards and the identity of the card sender. He finds out that he is the message. If he can help all of these people, then anyone can do anything.

The realization that he can be anyone he wants and not end up a drunk like his dad results from the obstacles that he overcomes while dealing with delivering the messages.

250 Page Update!

After Ed returns, he finds out that his team won the soccer game. Since this card is the Ace of Spades, Ed has to dig for the Answers. The card has three names of it: Graham Greene, Morris West, and Slyvia Plath. He realizes that they are authors and he heads to the library. He thinks that he has to read all of the books, but really the street names are in the titles and the street numbers are marked of pages in the books. The first place up is Glory Road; a polynesian family lives there. They struggle to make end's meet, but they love each other and spending time at christmas. The family has old lights so Ed buys them new ones. In return, they thank him, give him a card, and give him a stone with a cross on it for good luck.
The next place is Melusso's, an Italian restaurant. Ed watches the place with The Doorman, but sees nothing. One night, Audrey comes over and tells Ed that she misses him and the way they were. The get drunk, and fall asleep in each other's arms, but she still continues to see a guy from work instead of Ed. When Ed awakes, he finds the man that ran out of his cab waiting for him. The man tells Ed to be at Melusso's at eight the following night. When he gets there, Ed finds his mom out on a date. Later, he waits for her on her doorstep, and asks her why she hates him. She says because he is like his dad, and confesses that she cheated on her husband while he was alive.

Character and Setting Archetypes

Ed can be classified in many archetypes. The main character is definitely an innocent. He hasn't really experienced the world and doesn't see the big picture yet. He has to deal with hardships like his job and being lonely. The person sending Ed the cards is helping him to find himself. Ed could be classified as an orphan, as well, because his dad isn't around, and he doesn't live with his Mom. He is forced to make his own way in life. Ed is also a Seeker because he could have just ignored the cards, but he chooses to help these people. He is trying to find out who is sending the cards to him. There is an age gap between Ed and Millie, the woman that he cares for; he is 19 and she is 82. I would also say that Ed is a caregiver. Ed has helped all of these people find happiness and not worried about himself. In the end, Ed can he seen as a hero for saving all of these people and giving them hope.

Ed friends are dare I say his friends! The Doorman is the sage in Ed's mind. He gives Ed wisdom that he has been looking for. At the end of this book, Audrey becomes Ed's lover. She finally gives into her feelings. Ed's mother is a wicked stepmother type. She is always mean to Ed, but treats her other children with love and affection.

This story is set in a city that is controlled, but Ed lives in a little shack with his dog outside of town. He is in the wilderness and that could be viewed as evil or as the freedom to do as you wish. His home is somewhat like a cave, he feels safe there. By Ed's house, there is a river that is out in the wild. It is a no man's land, and that is where Ed finds some of his clues. The river is also a place of rebirth for the character Ritchie. When Ed helps him, Ritchie goes and stands in the freezing river at night. After that, he changes and decides that he wants to truly live.