THE BOOK THIEF Review
I went to Indigo three years ago looking for the new edition of Lolita. My mother who was with stumbled into the YA section and picked this book up for me and said it sounded interesting. I bought it, but I didn't think much of it for the past three years. But last summer when I literally had nothing to read, I read this book after two previous attempts.
I devoured this book in one day.
*SPOILERS INCLUDED IN THIS REVIEW*
There is not enough praise in the world I could give this book. Yes, I had read books about the Holocaust previously, but this book will stand out to me forever. Mr. Zusak's writing style is so captivating and distinct that no one but him could ever write like that. Sure, he breaks the cardinal rule of "show don't tell" but he does it in such a quirky way you really don't care and can't help but enjoy it.
There isn't too much action in this book (if you want action go turn on Transformers) but ever scene was written beautifully and masterfully crafted. Although much of the book is about Liesel learning to read and her relationship with Hans, and Rosa, and Max, and Rudy, the Holocaust was elegantly woven throughout the entire book. Even if Liesel is playing soccer or reading or having fun, you still sense the gloom and the mood of the war.
Even though Mr. Zusak's writing is superb, the real gems of this novel (tarnished however, in the best way possible of course) are the characters--each one his or her own individual and equally unique and realistic. Liesel was such a relatable character to me, because she acted like a normal 9 year-old girl at the start and 10, 11, and 12 year-old as the book progressed. She struggled to fit in, and she was, not to mention, illiterate. How she overcomes those struggles is what makes her such a wonderful character. Max was fantastic and you couldn't help but dread his fate, Rudy was lovable and you couldn't help but bawl when he died, Hans was the dad you wished you had, Rosa was an animated character that you couldn't help but secretly love.
But the most interesting character, perhaps, was the narrator: Death itself. No, we did not get a back story to Death (how could we ever?), but Death was so quirky and witty he was a character, too!
The book provided an interesting point of view from a German girl's perspective. This is a book that can be life altering--it really and truly opened my eyes. The ending was probably one of the saddest, most bittersweet ones I have read in quite some times. I cried for nearly ten minutes and then re-read the ending again. You will laugh at Rudy's witty remarks as well as Liesel's snarky comebacks. Your heart will melt when you read about Hans and Max. You will feel Rosa's pain. Most of all, you will experience all of this through Death's perspective.
One of the best books I have read in a while. Perhaps I am overrating his book like crazy, but in my eyes, it deserves it all.
Overall Grade: A++++++(Haha, no I'm just kidding....) A+
5 out of 5 stars (If only there was a 6 option.
Similar books include: The boy in the striped pajamas, Milkweed, and Hunger Journeys.
THE BOOK THIEF Overview
Black Swan, UK, Trade Paperback with 558 pages and some b/w illustrations. A no. 1 International Bestseller. 1939 Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier. Liesel, a nine year old girl, is living with a foster family on Himmel St. Her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books. This is her story and the story of the inhabitants of her street when the bombs begin to fall. This novel is narrated by DEATH. It's a story about: a girl, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist fighter, and a quite a lot of thievery. DEATH WILL VISIT THE BOOK THIEF THREE TIMES!
Available at Amazon Check Price Now!
Related Products
- I Am the Messenger
- Getting The Girl
- When My Name Was Keoko
- Boy Meets Boy
- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Customer Reviews
The Book Thief stole my heart - Roisin -
The Book Thief was suggested to me by Aine Gleadhill of Belfast She is an author and a great reader. She knows me well. The book clutched at my heart and would not let go even when the story ended. Picking up the next bool was more than a little difficult. I let The Book Thief lay on the table and went back again and again to review the amazing wisdom and philosophy... Fear of Death keeping us from living.
Roisin
The Book Thief - Ricki Pitzner -
Very hard to read. The story is good but written in a very fragmented way. I would not recommend it.
Didn't really like it - bookworm1858 - San Diego
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Alfred A. Knopf, 2005
550 pages
YA; Historical
3.5/5 stars
Summary: (from goodreads)
"It's just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak's groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can't resist-books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau. This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul. "
Thoughts: I saw many rave reviews of this before I started reading it so I had high hopes. Alas I must be an exception for while I can see the strengths of it, it didn't work for me.
I liked the idea of Death as narrator but Zusack's Death isn't as good as Terry Pratchett's Death. I liked the idea of a young girl in Nazi Germany. Despite the popularity of WWII in film and fiction, I still feel as if there isn't as much in YA (in general I feel like there isn't much historical fiction in YA at all). Another problem was that despite the little moments in the book, the overwhelming feeling I got from it was depression especially as Hitler and the Holocaust are referenced frequently. I know the Holocaust was an awful event and I do not want anything of that kind to ever happen again but I personally had trouble handling that aspect. I also didn't like the use of German, followed by a rough translation of what was said-I found it annoying, perhaps because I have studied German and didn't always need the translation so it was like having something repeated to me.
My favorite part was the descriptions of books and the joyful experience of reading. Liesel certainly needed some good in her life and I think book bloggers will appreciate those passages. The ending did make me cry. The death all around was too much and practically everyone dies.
Overall: While I recognize this as a book that is kind of book that wins awards, I didn't particularly like it.
Cover: The dominoes are a good choice for the cover.
This book will touch you for sure, don't miss the experience! - Carol Galuskin - Tucson, AZ
Although this book already has 917 reviews as I write, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to add my name to the list of lovers of this powerful book. I had a little trouble getting into it at first. After about 85 pages I called the friend who recommended it to ask why she loved it so much. She told me to persevere and I will be greatly rewarded. So rarely do I have tears in my eyes while reading. There are many well written powerful books on the market with heart wrenching tales to tell but this book does it so well without being maudlin and manipulative. It is a very special piece of literature.
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Sep 06, 2010 10:05:05
No comments:
Post a Comment