Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

19 reviews

malley's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

stllyltc's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It spoke of death and Death spoke. Usually it's a theme associated with coldness and solemnity, but there's this kind of warmth coming out of the novel, as if you yourself have become one with the experience. After a few days, I finally got to finish reading this, and I'm not exactly ecstatic knowing that it ended. It may have entered into one of my favorite comfort books by following the life of Liesel Meminger as she was taken in as a foster child on Himmel Street during the war. Rudy Steiner has got to be my ultimate favorite throughout the entire story. With his wit and brilliancy as a person, how Death (narrator) and the author itself love him—it truly can be felt with the way his character was written. Special mention to her Papa, Hans Hubermann, whose kind heart and ways ushered in so much humanity that it sparked familial bonds even though they weren't blood tied, and Max Vandenburg, who became her brother, and wrote a memorable short story for Liesel that was so touching. It was obvious how the story would flow and end, as Death was eager and blunt. You no longer need to wait for a thrill, yet it still catches you off guard by letting it spill your tears and emotions. Along the lines created by the book thief, Liesel, this one struck and stayed with me: "I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right."

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

milly_7's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

misosoupp31's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This book made me cry ugly tears, even knowing a lot of the emotional gut punches before hand. The story is not what i expected going into it but is very well crafted

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

brownieboo's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

books_and_coffee_vibes's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was everything to me. I got so attached to the characters, I loved every second of this book. 

This book made me happy, made me laugh at times but it shattered my heart. I didn’t think a book could destroy me the way this one did. 

<the ending, I couldn’t stop crying. The way she grieved at the end broke my heart even more> 

I loved this book so much but I don’t think I’ll ever reread it. I feel like it won’t be the same and I can’t put my poor heart through that again. 

I loved every second of this book and would highly recommend it to anyone 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

bhagyasree's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

joan_salder's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

 ** spoiler alert ** Here is a small fact: you are going to die

It tore me apart!

That is not all I would say about this book.

I am astonished by the context and perspective of the story, as it is told by someone we have never met: Death. Death says he's haunted by humans, and I believe he's right. We are born to die or we die to be born again, I don't know, secrets are still secrets. The souls, the people, we make links with them, we love them, knowing that one day none of us will exist, not only on earth, but also in the minds.

A reassuring announcement: Please, be calm, despite that previous threat. I am not violent. I am not malicious. I am a result.


Papa (Hans Hubermann), just blew my heart away as he died. His death was more tragic than the rest. Oh dear Rudy. Do you have any idea how much Liesel loved you? Don't you know how she feels about your death? Oh no! All you cared about was that kiss you never received from her. Is that so? Eh? The tragic deaths of all the people around and death tells so peacefully, as if it sedated them. I cannot help but love every character, even death. Everything is beautiful in this book. The kiss, the theft, the mini-stories of Max, the presents given to Max by Liesel, the accordion, the insults of Rosa Hubermann (Mama) and everything. The accordion breathes as Papa breathes, Papa is the accordion. He is the sweetness of music and the taste of music, the keys and the notes because he is the accordion.


One opportunity leads directly to another, just as risk leads to more risk, life to more life and death to more death

The accordion and the book, they bought the characters together. Papa with Rosa, Liesel with Papa, Rosa with Liesel, Liesel with Rudy, Papa with Max and Max with Liesel. It is unbelievable that two normal things which are often found in the world could bring people together and save someone's life, but life is surprising in its many ways.

Hitler truly deserved the death he received in my view because he is a whore

'When death captures me,' the boy vowed, 'he will feel my fist on his face.

One story I cannot deny is "The Word Shaker." Words have the power to destroy us, to rebuild us, to convince, to reject and to even capture the world. Liesel, at such a young age, has understood something years of experience cannot and that means she has experienced the world in these few years?

'After all,' he said, 'you should know it yourself - a young man is still a boy, and a boy sometimes has the right to be stubborn.'

Papa is heaven and anyone cannot prove it to be wrong that that is why he lives in Himmel Street. He is a teacher, a friend, a best friend, an uncle, a husband and a father. Liesel may have seen or not seen her father but Papa is the only true father she had.

Mama. What could I say about her? She is a coconut: hard on the outside but soft in the inside. My opinions changed about her when she hugged Liesel for the first time after she had a bath. I can say nothing more because she is heaven's wife.

'His hair is like feathers.'

The Jew fist-fighter is the one that broke my heart for the first time in the book when he left Liesel and Papa and Mama with the thought that they would get caught because of him. No, he shouldn't have, but yes he should have because that is how he survived.

The lovely Rudy Steiner is the little miracle that happened in Liesel's life. He is like a pure golden chain that when tugged at, breaks. Oh dear Rudy.

Liesel Meminger hated herself for being in the basement, writing her stupid story, but no, it was not her fault at all. It was the stupid Fuhrer that did all that happened.

It is my favorite book of all time and I loved it more than anything out there, just like Liesel.

A Masterpiece 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

vanadiumbean's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings
More...