The novel follows the life of Oskar Schell, a nine-year-old boy who, after the death of his father in the September 11th attacks, is trying to come to terms with his loss by searching through New York City for the lock that matches a key he found in his father’s closet.
Oskar’s father, Thomas, was a man of few words, who would often disappear for days on end, but always returned to his son with gifts.
Oskar’s mother, Linda, is a woman who is struggling to cope with her husband’s death and her own grief.
The novel follows Oskar as he searches for the lock that matches the key, and as he tries to make sense of his father’s death.
The novel is narrated by Oskar, and is told from his point of view.
The novel is set in New York City, in the months after the September 11th attacks.