Extremely Loud & Incredibly CloseExtremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Score Modern
What it's about
Nine-year-old Oskar Schell's father died in the World Trade Center on 9/11. When Oskar finds a mysterious key among his father's things, he sets out across New York City to find the lock it fits, meeting strangers and uncovering his family's own history of loss.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 26 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It's an inventive, tender novel about grief.
You'll love it if you liked
The Book Thief
The Midnight Library
The Perks of Being a WallflowerGood to know
It uses photographs and unusual typography. It's emotional.
By the numbers
- Readers39 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller61 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #194 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #883 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1632 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
If you like this, read next
The Help
Purple Hibiscus
Looking for Alaska
A Lesson Before Dying
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
The Secret Life of BeesExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close worth reading?
Yes. It spent 26 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #1,632 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close about?
Nine-year-old Oskar Schell's father died in the World Trade Center on 9/11. When Oskar finds a mysterious key among his father's things, he sets out across New York City to find the lock it fits, meeting strangers and uncovering his family's own history of loss.
How long does it take to read Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close?
About 10 hours (400 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close?
If you liked it, try The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig or The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.