Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak

✨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✨

In ‘Bridge of Clay’, Markus Zusak thrusts the reader in the middle of a rowdy and uproarious family of five brothers Matthew, Rory, Henry, Clay and Tommy and their pets named after the characters in Odyssey by Homer.

We follow the characters exhibiting human emotions such as grief, remorse and regret and overcoming them. The narrator, Matthew, begins the story with him going to his father’s old house and digging up dog bones, snake bones and a typewriter. He comes back home to write the story of his family. The whole novel, therefore, focuses on character development and interpersonal relationships. The storytelling in the novel is impeccable.

Dealing with themes of life, death, anguish, guilt and boyhood, the novel goes back and forth; it is quite confusing but keeps the reader on edge. It reads like a flashback. The author has employed simple language, Australian diction. The book is pellucid in terms of the plot, the narrative, the action and the characterisation. The reader feels as if he/she is witnessing the actions in the book first-hand.

The book spans over several years. Chronologically, the story begins with Penelope’s childhood with her ‘Stalin Statue’ father in Russia. This is followed by Michael Dunbar’s childhood with his receptionist mother in Australia. Penelope is made to escape from the regime; she finds herself in Venice from where she moves from camp to camp and finally settles in Sydney. Michael’s story starts with him falling in love with a girl named Abbey and then being separated from her on the account of him not taking any initiative. Penelope and Michael meet when he delivers a piano to her home. They strike up a conversation. Subsequently, they meet, fall in love, get married and Penelope gives birth to five boys. She reads them Iliad and Odyssey and makes them play the piano.

A few years later, Penelope gets cancer and following her demise, Michael leaves the boys. Then what follows is the boys growing into themselves. Matthew becomes the breadwinner for the family, Rory follows suit, Henry makes money off betting, Clay loves to run to clear his mind, and Tommy is shown to spend his time with his pets.

Clay is the focus of the story because when Michael returns to ask them for help to build a bridge, all of them refuse except Clay. His thoughts are shielded because no one can understand what he was going through- he spent his time alone on the roof, or with Carey Novac, the girl next door and a jockey, who was helping him to overcome his grief. He finds solace in her and slowly opens about his pain.

He goes to help his father and when needed would come and visit his brothers and Carey.

But after an unfortunate incident, he relapses and decides to stay put and finish the bridge. Micheal names the bridge "Bridge of Clay"- this is a metaphor. Zusak employs this to show that the growth of the character who is struck with grief and misery from early in life, works hard on himself and builds himself up, especially mentally.

🧡A long story as such makes the book long and it often feels like a task to get through it, but let me assure you that this book is definitely worth reading- the book leaves a scar on your heart; it stays with you forever. 🧡