In all novels the author often hopes to achieve several things. The novel should be enjoyable or moving and should allow the reader to identify with the characters and their situations. The way the author achieves this is by immersing the reader into the fantasy world that they have created. However it's not easy to create a world that is believable enough for the reader to forget their lives for a moment and begin to become absorbed by the book, the author must use many different techniques to not only construct the environment but make it interesting and diverse. Markus Zusak's novel "The Messenger" successfully creates one such environment and also succeeds in compelling the reader to be drawn into the imaginary world he gave life to.

In particular Zusak's characterisation is well thought out and highly effective. He begins with a conflict in a small Australian town...