I am The Messenger Review

For the past few days, I've been reading I am The Messenger by Markus Zusak. I chose this book because of the way Book Thief was written. I absolutely fell in love with Zusak as an author. This book did not disappoint! From the very beginning I was hooked.
Ed was a guy that few liked. He didn't go out much and had a pretty simple routine. Despite this, you can't feel bad for him. He's content with his life. Not happy, but content. I felt myself appreciating that fact. What really caught my attention was the pressing issues that surrounded Ed that he chose to simply ignore. He sat with a gun to his head and his response was to make witty remarks to the gunman. Yet in situations where very few things matter he fills with anxiety and can't work out how to react. In one of his cards he's faced with a young girl who just needs some words of encouragement. His response is to avoid being seen by her at all costs and wait for "the right moment". Instead, he's thrown head first into a conversation he isn't prepared for, but how does that compare to almost dying? Ed is a very complex character and after everything, he's still hard to understand. I think those are the best characters to write. No person is truly understood, even when you're in their head.
The story is shocking and the twists are impossible to predict. My one complaint are the minor characters. Ed is introduced to the reader with his four friends: Audrey, Marv and Ritchie. They are important characters in Ed's life and influence the story, but they aren't given backgrounds or details. They are there to influence what happens to Ed, but don't exist outside of it. They're even *SPOILER ALERT* given their own card. Yet the reader never gets to know any of them. I guess this may be on purpose to add to the overall meaning of the story, but I definitely would enjoy some more information.
 I would recommend this book to anyone who doesn't mind a book that's a little darker and makes you think. It left a huge impact on me and made me reconsider who I am as a person. I look forward to reading more of Zusak in the future.