Why You Must Read Bridge of Clay

The Dunbar Boys: five brothers, young teens and young men, living on their own with only a mule named Achilles to watch over them. How did they get there and where are their parents? That’s the story Markus Zusak tells in his latest novel, Bridge of Clay. There’s a murderer, a piano, a mattress in the grass, and a sweet. sad story about love, loss, and the ties that bind families together.

I listened to the audiobook, which Zusak reads himself, as if he were talking about his own brothers. Bridge of Clay is a long book, but it’s worth the effort.

Premise

Bridge of Clay opens with Matthew, the oldest brother, digging up his grandmother’s typewriter (the “old TW”) so that he can record his family’s stories. He skips around a bit, but eventually we learn about the history of each of his parents, the quirks of each of his brothers, and how his brother Clay holds the key to all of the stories.

What I Liked

Zusak writes with a beautiful, poetic style, short sentences that build a rhythm and play with words. Sometimes I swear I heard rhyming couplets! When describing how Penny Dunbar, mother to all the boys, responded to cancer treatment, Zusak writes:

She tried to reassemble herself; she tried to resemble herself.

Here’s another great example of his style:

“He, as much as anyone, knows who and why and what we are:
A family of ramshackle tragedy.
A comic book kapow of boys and blood and beasts.”

Zusak’s descriptions are vivid brush strokes, sometimes brief, always fresh, painting a picture and often leaving just enough out so that the reader can fill in the rest.

“He was a wasteland in a suit; he was bent-postured, he was broken.” 

I love how Zusak delineates each member of the family clearly – their struggles, their desires, their loves. Even though there are five boys, Zusak makes each one distinct in his speech and actions. I felt like I was sitting among them and laughing at their jokes. They are a compelling lot, and I loved hearing about them.

The story has plenty of sadness; I teared up more than once while listening to it. But it also has humor (there are five boys and a mule, after all), and love and joy and triumph.

Finally, I liked how Zusak kept a sense of mystery throughout the book. It’s a character driven story, but Zusak keeps the reader interested by withholding key parts of the family story. Matthew always refers to his father as “the murderer”, and Clay always keeps a laundry pin in the pocket of his jeans, but we don’t find out why until the very last chapter.

I’m so glad I listened to the audiobook of Bridge of Clay. Zusak emphasizes the rhythm of his prose, and sometimes, during very touching scenes, his voice breaks, as I imagine Matthew’s or Clay’s would if they were telling me the story.

What I Didn’t Like

Not much. Bridge of Clay is a little long and meandering, told in snippets. Zusak jumps around between past and present, and initially it was challenging to follow the story line, but once I figured out the style of the book, I didn’t have any trouble.

Recommendation

If you like family sagas, or books that champion a love of stories, or Zusak’s other novels The Book Thief and I Am the Messenger, I highly recommend Bridge of Clay. It has unique voice, and again, Zusak’s writing is gorgeous.

“There are hundreds of thoughts per every word spoken, and that’s if they’re spoken at all.” 

Notes on content

This story is about five brothers, ranging in age from about 13 to 25. Expect swearing, drinking, and some references to sex. But it’s pretty mild and fits the story line.

Have you read Bridge of Clay or any of Zusak’s other books? What did you think?

Thanks for getting nerdy with me!

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