The Book of Form and EmptinessThe Book of Form and Emptiness
What it's about
A year after his beloved musician father dies, thirteen-year-old Benny Oh begins to hear voices: the things in his house, a sneaker, a broken ornament, a wilted piece of lettuce, are speaking to him. As his mother sinks into hoarding, Benny takes refuge in the public library, where he finds his own Book.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Women's Prize for Fiction. It's an inventive, moving novel about grief, growing up and our relationship with things.
You'll love it if you liked
A Tale for the Time Being
The Midnight Library
The Ocean at the End of the LaneGood to know
The book itself is one of the narrators. It's long and gentle.
By the numbers
- Readers55 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics56 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller19 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz26 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
- #58 of the 219 young adult books we rank
- #139 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #165 of the 481 new books we rank
- #946 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Ruth Ozeki
If you like this, read next
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Sing, Unburied, Sing
Treacle Walker
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry
The Five People You Meet in Heaven
The City of BrassExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Book of Form and Emptiness worth reading?
Yes. It won the Women's Prize for Fiction. It ranks #946 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 73.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Book of Form and Emptiness about?
A year after his beloved musician father dies, thirteen-year-old Benny Oh begins to hear voices: the things in his house, a sneaker, a broken ornament, a wilted piece of lettuce, are speaking to him. As his mother sinks into hoarding, Benny takes refuge in the public library, where he finds his own Book.
How long does it take to read The Book of Form and Emptiness?
About 14 hours (560 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The Book of Form and Emptiness won?
Women's Prize for Fiction winner (2022).
What should I read after The Book of Form and Emptiness?
If you liked it, try A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig or The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman.