The Book of Form and Emptiness is a novel by American author Ruth Ozeki, published in 2021 by Viking. Ozeki's fourth novel, the book won the 2022 Women's Prize for Fiction. The story follows a boy who hears voices from inanimate objects while the narrative explores themes of mental illness and bereavement.[1]
The novel was partially inspired by Zen Buddhism. A question from a Zen parable; "do insentient beings speak the dharma?” formed the central theme of the narrative. The death of Ozeki's father also shaped the book. Ozeki took eight years to write the book.[2]
The library that plays a central role in the story is based on Vancouver Public Library. Ozeki previously spent time in the system's central branch researching her 1998 debut novel,My Year of Meats.[3]
Summary
Following the death of his father, Benny Oh, an American boy of Japanese-Korean descent,[4] begins hearing voices calling out from inanimate objects. Oh's relationship with his mother, an archivist and hoarder, deteriorates and he begins spending time in a public library, befriending a group of outsiders including an artist and a poet.[5]
The story is mostly narrated by the book itself. Some sections of the novel are narrated by Oh.[6]
Reception
The novel received mixed reviews. The Guardian praised Ozeki's "calm, dry, methodical good humour and wit".[5]The Washington Post described the narrative as "cluttered" but also described the book as "compelling".[7]The Daily Telegraph described the book as "a preachy, whimsical mess".[8]
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