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icequeen37's review against another edition
5.0
What I CAN'T believe: that it took me this long to read this book.
What I CAN believe: that this book is going to be that one that stays with me for years to come, one of a handful few that is going to mark my whole reading life.
It's difficult to put every single thought into words. I'll try.
Lately, I've been reading YA books because I feel how in my now adult age, I often forget what it was that brought me here. I don't necessarily mean events and people, but ways of thinking and doing. When I remember myself at the age of 13, I chuckle and sigh. I chuckle for first kisses, friendships, playing outside. I sigh because then, I saw things more simply and clearly. As an adult, I'm often sad and feel helpless about not being able to solve tons of problems and doubts that plague me daily. As an adult, I have work, health issues, and other monstrosities. What I don't always have, is perspective. I don't see everything clearly. I complicate to the verge of losing my mind.
I read somewhere the other day how people get depressed because they see things much too clearly. Wrong. It's the opposite. Reading this book showed me just that. It reminded me how a child sees and understands things in a pure and simple way without complicating them. And that's one of the facts I liked best about ''The Book Thief''. It is also one of the most heartbreakingly devastating things about it. Liesel's simple way of seeing life and people around her while living in one of the darkest periods and one of the worst regimes in human history. Her being able to stay innocent in mind and soul. This book made me see through Liesel's eyes. Through my own childhood eyes. Brilliant.
I thoroughly enjoyed having Death as the narrator. It gave me chills all the way from beginning to the bitter but hopeful ending. There were moments when I would forget who narrates the story, and then the author would gently or at times, not so gently, remind me of the fact that Death looms over me. All the time. But I don't think I've EVER thought of Death as having a complex existence, a character, or that he/she sees the world in colors! Again, brilliant.
We know from the Prologue that this is going to be a sad story interlaced with beautiful moments. I mean, Death tells us so constantly. Still, every ugly thing that happens surprised me and made me pause for a while. Could I have expected this from a book set in WWII Germany? Yes. Could I have braced myself better? Not really. That's one of the main points I got from the story.
Another thing I loved was the rich symbolism behind a light language. That gets me every time. It takes a skilled storyteller to manage to pull that off. Not that many actually do. Zusak does. He's a master storyteller. Inserting ''Mein Kampf'' into Liesel's books, having Hans play the lavish and nostalgic accordion amidst the chaos of war? Breathtaking.
There's a feature here on recommending a book to your friends who would like it. I recommend this book to all my friends. To everyone, really. EVERYONE should read it!! The political climate behind the public discourse in our country is certainly not light. For years on now, there's been talk and tolerance of oppressive regimes. Read this book, people!! And when you finish it, pass it on first to all of your family and then your friends and so on... Don't let this fictionalized experience which undoubtedly has root in reality fall on to deaf ears. This book is meant to be read and re-read. We are never meant to forget the horrors of our human race. We are never supposed to forget all the countless little book thieves whose families died for someone's greed or politics. They were many. Too many...
Here are some of the quotes I found most thought-provoking, but just some. There are oh so many...
''They were French, they were Jews, and they were you.''
''The human heart is a line, whereas my own is a circle, and I have the endless ability to be in the right place at the right time. The consequence of this is that I’m always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both.''
''If there was one thing about Liesel Meminger, her thieving was not gratuitous. She only stole books on what she felt was a need-to-have basis.''
''At first, Liesel could not talk. Perhaps it was the sudden bumpiness of love she felt for him. Or had she always loved him? It’s likely. Restricted as she was from speaking, she wanted him to kiss her.''
'' 'How about a kiss, Saumensch?' He stood waist-deep in the water for a few moments longer before climbing out and handing her the book. His pants clung to him, and he did not stop walking. In truth, I think he was afraid. Rudy Steiner was scared of the book thief’s kiss. He must have longed for it so much. He must have loved her so incredibly hard. So hard that he would never ask for her lips again and would go to his grave without them.''
''I guess humans like to watch a little destruction. Sandcastles, houses of cards, that’s where they begin. Their great skill is their capacity to escalate.''
''The best world shakers were the ones who understood the true power of words. They were the ones who could climb the highest. One such word shaker was a small, skinny girl. She was renowned as the best word shaker of her region because she knew how powerless a person could be WITHOUT words. That’s why she could climb higher than anyone else. She had desire. She was hungry for them.''
''There were stars. They burned my eyes.''
''How could he show up and ask people to risk their lives for him? How could he be so selfish?''
''On Munich Street, a boy and a girl were entwined. They were twisted and comfortless on the road. Together, they watched the humans disappear. ''
''You are going to die.''
''Kommunist.''
''[…] at some point on time I will be standing over you, as genially as possible. Your soul will be in my arms. A color will be perched on my shoulder. I will carry you gently away.''
''He'd have been glad to witness her kissing his dusty, bomb hit lips.''
''It kills me sometimes, how people die.''
''From the toolbox the boy took out, of all things, a teddy bear. He reached in through the torn windshield and placed it on the pilot's chest.''
''In short, Himmel Street was flattened.''
''Although something inside her told her that this was a crime - after all, her three books were the most precious items she owned – she was compelled to see the thing lit.''
''When a Jew shows up at your place of residence in the early hours of the morning, in the very birthplace of Nazism, you're likely to experience extreme levels of discomfort. Anxiety, disbelief, paranoia.''
''Beneath her shirt, a book was eating her up.''
''The words. Why did they have to exist? Without them, there wouldn't be any of this. Without words, the Führer was nothing.''
''Not leaving: an act of trust and love, often deciphered by children.''
'' 'Is it really you,' the young man asked […]. Is it from your cheek that I took the seed?' ''
What I CAN believe: that this book is going to be that one that stays with me for years to come, one of a handful few that is going to mark my whole reading life.
It's difficult to put every single thought into words. I'll try.
Lately, I've been reading YA books because I feel how in my now adult age, I often forget what it was that brought me here. I don't necessarily mean events and people, but ways of thinking and doing. When I remember myself at the age of 13, I chuckle and sigh. I chuckle for first kisses, friendships, playing outside. I sigh because then, I saw things more simply and clearly. As an adult, I'm often sad and feel helpless about not being able to solve tons of problems and doubts that plague me daily. As an adult, I have work, health issues, and other monstrosities. What I don't always have, is perspective. I don't see everything clearly. I complicate to the verge of losing my mind.
I read somewhere the other day how people get depressed because they see things much too clearly. Wrong. It's the opposite. Reading this book showed me just that. It reminded me how a child sees and understands things in a pure and simple way without complicating them. And that's one of the facts I liked best about ''The Book Thief''. It is also one of the most heartbreakingly devastating things about it. Liesel's simple way of seeing life and people around her while living in one of the darkest periods and one of the worst regimes in human history. Her being able to stay innocent in mind and soul. This book made me see through Liesel's eyes. Through my own childhood eyes. Brilliant.
I thoroughly enjoyed having Death as the narrator. It gave me chills all the way from beginning to the bitter but hopeful ending. There were moments when I would forget who narrates the story, and then the author would gently or at times, not so gently, remind me of the fact that Death looms over me. All the time. But I don't think I've EVER thought of Death as having a complex existence, a character, or that he/she sees the world in colors! Again, brilliant.
We know from the Prologue that this is going to be a sad story interlaced with beautiful moments. I mean, Death tells us so constantly. Still, every ugly thing that happens surprised me and made me pause for a while. Could I have expected this from a book set in WWII Germany? Yes. Could I have braced myself better? Not really. That's one of the main points I got from the story.
Another thing I loved was the rich symbolism behind a light language. That gets me every time. It takes a skilled storyteller to manage to pull that off. Not that many actually do. Zusak does. He's a master storyteller. Inserting ''Mein Kampf'' into Liesel's books, having Hans play the lavish and nostalgic accordion amidst the chaos of war? Breathtaking.
There's a feature here on recommending a book to your friends who would like it. I recommend this book to all my friends. To everyone, really. EVERYONE should read it!! The political climate behind the public discourse in our country is certainly not light. For years on now, there's been talk and tolerance of oppressive regimes. Read this book, people!! And when you finish it, pass it on first to all of your family and then your friends and so on... Don't let this fictionalized experience which undoubtedly has root in reality fall on to deaf ears. This book is meant to be read and re-read. We are never meant to forget the horrors of our human race. We are never supposed to forget all the countless little book thieves whose families died for someone's greed or politics. They were many. Too many...
Here are some of the quotes I found most thought-provoking, but just some. There are oh so many...
''They were French, they were Jews, and they were you.''
''The human heart is a line, whereas my own is a circle, and I have the endless ability to be in the right place at the right time. The consequence of this is that I’m always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both.''
''If there was one thing about Liesel Meminger, her thieving was not gratuitous. She only stole books on what she felt was a need-to-have basis.''
''At first, Liesel could not talk. Perhaps it was the sudden bumpiness of love she felt for him. Or had she always loved him? It’s likely. Restricted as she was from speaking, she wanted him to kiss her.''
'' 'How about a kiss, Saumensch?' He stood waist-deep in the water for a few moments longer before climbing out and handing her the book. His pants clung to him, and he did not stop walking. In truth, I think he was afraid. Rudy Steiner was scared of the book thief’s kiss. He must have longed for it so much. He must have loved her so incredibly hard. So hard that he would never ask for her lips again and would go to his grave without them.''
''I guess humans like to watch a little destruction. Sandcastles, houses of cards, that’s where they begin. Their great skill is their capacity to escalate.''
''The best world shakers were the ones who understood the true power of words. They were the ones who could climb the highest. One such word shaker was a small, skinny girl. She was renowned as the best word shaker of her region because she knew how powerless a person could be WITHOUT words. That’s why she could climb higher than anyone else. She had desire. She was hungry for them.''
''There were stars. They burned my eyes.''
''How could he show up and ask people to risk their lives for him? How could he be so selfish?''
''On Munich Street, a boy and a girl were entwined. They were twisted and comfortless on the road. Together, they watched the humans disappear. ''
''You are going to die.''
''Kommunist.''
''[…] at some point on time I will be standing over you, as genially as possible. Your soul will be in my arms. A color will be perched on my shoulder. I will carry you gently away.''
''He'd have been glad to witness her kissing his dusty, bomb hit lips.''
''It kills me sometimes, how people die.''
''From the toolbox the boy took out, of all things, a teddy bear. He reached in through the torn windshield and placed it on the pilot's chest.''
''In short, Himmel Street was flattened.''
''Although something inside her told her that this was a crime - after all, her three books were the most precious items she owned – she was compelled to see the thing lit.''
''When a Jew shows up at your place of residence in the early hours of the morning, in the very birthplace of Nazism, you're likely to experience extreme levels of discomfort. Anxiety, disbelief, paranoia.''
''Beneath her shirt, a book was eating her up.''
''The words. Why did they have to exist? Without them, there wouldn't be any of this. Without words, the Führer was nothing.''
''Not leaving: an act of trust and love, often deciphered by children.''
'' 'Is it really you,' the young man asked […]. Is it from your cheek that I took the seed?' ''
anneposthuma's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
iranona's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
binkytheprince's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
stacikristine's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This was such a unique style of storytelling. I've never read anything like it. It was surprising to me that the narrator kept giving away huge parts of the plot and then going back and filling in information to get you to that part of the plot. Also, it was very different reading a book about WWII that focused on a German family. I'm so glad I finally read this!
mmorales0902's review against another edition
5.0
Such a great book! So is " i am messager" I love this author.
queenebri's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
5.0
Like Death, I too am haunted by humans. This gave me new eyes for a war already taught to me. While I expected the heavy racism, I hadn’t quite expected to be bathed in classism and sexism the way I was. It was impossible to ignore.
The amount of love found in these pages made me want to lie in a shallow creek and have the water wash over me. She loved her people so deeply and so well one can only aspire to be like her.
I skipped reading this in high school and I’m finding myself grateful. My young heart wouldn’t have received this as well as my grown one does now. My heart shattered and was molded together several times over.
The amount of love found in these pages made me want to lie in a shallow creek and have the water wash over me. She loved her people so deeply and so well one can only aspire to be like her.
I skipped reading this in high school and I’m finding myself grateful. My young heart wouldn’t have received this as well as my grown one does now. My heart shattered and was molded together several times over.
jaby89's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0