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emeraldxprincess's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Minor: Murder, Physical abuse, Death, Sexual harassment, Grief, Hate crime, Religious bigotry, and Violence
musicalchikaan's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Child death, War, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Physical abuse, Genocide, Child death, Blood, Alcohol, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Gun violence, War, Religious bigotry, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Chronic illness
w0rmonastring's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
the best quote of the entire novel comes when the perspective is shifted away from the pathetic image of "Death" that zusak puts forth:
"I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right."
Graphic: Police brutality, Genocide, Racism, Hate crime, Grief, Antisemitism, Child death, Death, War, Violence, and Religious bigotry
a_d_maillet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Classism, Death of parent, Genocide, Slavery, War, Child death, Death, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Grief
erinlovestoread's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, War, Antisemitism, and Religious bigotry
achay91's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Torture, Racism, War, Violence, Genocide, Religious bigotry, and Death
Moderate: Suicide and Police brutality
bookmark3brodi's review against another edition
- 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? No
2.75
Graphic: Slavery, Deportation, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Child death, Colonisation, Religious bigotry, Body horror, Physical abuse, War, Abandonment, and Blood
percys_panda_pillow_pet's review against another edition
- 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
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.
Graphic: Genocide, Violence, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Antisemitism, Death, Death of parent, Child death, Police brutality, and War
Moderate: Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, and Slavery
malley's review against another edition
- 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
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
goldyyy's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Antisemitism, Death of parent, Child death, Genocide, Death, Religious bigotry, Hate crime, Violence, and War
Moderate: Grief and Suicide