Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

38 reviews

achay91's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Racism, War, Violence, Genocide, Religious bigotry, and Death

Moderate: Suicide and Police brutality

lynini's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Child death, Death of parent, Grief, Genocide, and Antisemitism

Minor: Forced institutionalization and Police brutality

percys_panda_pillow_pet's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I don't know how to feel about this book. It is 2023 and I have finally read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. This has been a long time coming. I had heard quite a bit about the book when it became a movie, and many have touted it as a modern classic, some teachers in the U.S. teaching it to their classes alongside Fahrenheit 451 and Romeo and Juliet. It has great critical acclaims and many of my close friends love it a lot.

Still, I cannot help but think I was...not disappointed but perhaps unenlightened, might be the best word here. Forgive me if I get a tad poetic here with my writing, I just think at least in my language I can do justice to a book that has done so much for others that it could not do for me. At this time in my life, I have already read several first-hand accounts of WWII, particularly from either the US or Jewish perspectives. Night by Elie Wiesel that I read in 8th grade comes to mind, a popular reading for school. I just don't think The Book Thief was necessary for me to read now.

Don't get me wrong, the novel isn't terrible by any means, and my star rating will reflect that feeling, but I don't need it. I know there are some out there that do, and that is where the book's value lies. I didn't need it to tell me there were good people in Germany at the time, I didn't need it to tell me there are innocents on both sides, to show me the absolute tragedy war is. I already knew all that and more. Zusak's writing is beautiful, and while the story was a bit slow-paced in the first quarter of the novel, I really zoomed through the rest of it, sitting on the edge of my seat when the tension was the highest. He really is an accomplished author, knowing exactly when to make a new section and ratchet up suspense for the reader. But when all was said and done, I felt myself questioning, "What else?" Sure, it's an important story, no doubt about that. But I wanted to know about the afterward. How do you come back from all that sorrow and anguish and persecution?

WWII books love to go on and on about the Holocaust and its effects, good to learn about absolutely, but I want to know about those who survived the camps, where did they go? What about the propaganda? That doesn't disappear overnight. Neither does the hatred. I'm just sort of done with stories like this, or The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. I'm done with the pain. I need hope too.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Violence, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Antisemitism, Death, Death of parent, Child death, Police brutality, and War

Moderate: Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, and Slavery

hdelossantos's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Antisemitism, Terminal illness, Police brutality, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Death of parent

malley's review against another edition

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Hate crime, Torture, War, Child death, and Genocide

Moderate: Cursing, Racism, Police brutality, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Death of parent, and Suicide

jl_reads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

this book is absolutely beautiful yet heartbreaking. this book could’ve have had a happy ending but no mark chose crying instead. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, War, Death of parent, Murder, and Police brutality

hitheremynameislisa's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Physical abuse, Child death, War, Violence, Suicide, Hate crime, Death, Death of parent, Blood, Antisemitism, Police brutality, Murder, Genocide, and Racism

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Grief

alexisgarcia's review

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

this book is so devastatingly beautiful. there are some slower parts but you get to learn so much more about the characters and begin to fall in love with them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, War, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Antisemitism, Body horror, Death of parent, Police brutality, Classism, Genocide, Gore, Violence, Abandonment, Grief, and Bullying

theonlybaillie's review

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Antisemitism, Violence, War, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Bullying and Toxic friendship

Minor: Child death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Mental illness, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Suicide

Pretty much TW for everything and anything.

stllyltc's review against another edition

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."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, Car accident, Death, Grief, Police brutality, Slavery, Alcohol, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Suicide, War, Confinement, and Death of parent