Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

28 reviews

luumii's review against another edition

emotional informative sad tense medium-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Antisemitism

Minor: Alcohol

abbyluvsfrogs444's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-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

4.5

"It amazes me what humans can do, even when streams are flowing down their faces and they stagger on, coughing and searching, and finding." 

Wow. That was a life-changing book. That was so sad. I am so glad that I read it, though. This is one of those books that is becoming a modern classic and everyone knows about it. And it definitely deserves that classic status. What a read. What a sad yet beautiful story. I love this book. But I'll probably never read it again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Bullying, War, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Gore, Violence, Antisemitism, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood

Moderate: Cursing, Suicide, Car accident, and Confinement

Minor: Abandonment and Alcohol

the_true_monroe's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Ableism, Blood, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Child abuse, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Child death, Grief, Antisemitism, Genocide, Classism, War, and Violence

Moderate: Xenophobia

Minor: Alcohol

ashley_1206's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

wow um.. OUCH.

i sobbed so uncontrollably i don’t even think i’m in the headspace for writing a review right now so that isn’t going to happen.

however i would like to dedicate my 50th book of the year to this masterpiece. the pain was insufferable.

okay i’m back! this book was a masterpiece. it didn’t have to absolutely destroy my heart the way it did but i still love it. the book being written by death was so chef’s kiss. but truly you haven’t experienced a heart breaking book until you read this one.

it will rip you apart. even if you don’t read historical fiction (which i don’t) it doesn’t matter. you will enjoy this book because this book is absolute art.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Child death, Cursing, Death of parent, Genocide, Grief, Suicide, War, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Blood

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

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

naiu_cs's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

Another book that has broken my heart in the most beautiful way

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War, Violence, Suicide, Child death, and Death

Minor: Alcohol, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, and Body horror

laneys_library's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book broke my heart but I love it so much 😭❤️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Murder, Gore, Cursing, Torture, Confinement, War, Child death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, and Child abuse

Minor: Vomit

saoreads'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

_0_'s review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Death of parent, Child death, and War

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

kyarabereading's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

This is one of my favorite books of all time. No book has brought a tear to my eye quite like this one, even after having read it multiple times. The first few times I read it, I didn't have as full an understanding as I do now. I think it made this book hurt so much more this time around. The Book Thief tells a beautiful story that is as painful, tragic, and honest as it is heartwarming, inspiring, and at times, even funny. 

I love the attention to detail Zusak clearly put into this book. This is a book that seems like it took a lot of Zusak's time and research - and all that hard work truly paid off. Everything is so, so real. The characters, the location, the historical events - they all create a story that is so incredibly real. So, so honest. It makes you fall in love with the characters. It makes you feel their pain. It makes it hurt that much more when they're hurt, especially when you realize this story was a reality for many people in 1940s Germany. This book does not sugarcoat the effects of the Holocaust or everyone's participation in it - everyone from the Hitler fanatic to the complaisant supporter. It does not sugarcoat how WWII hurt so many people. It's tragic to see how all this built up, to see what people did because of fear and hatred. What they did for survival. 

I also love the creative choices Zusak makes in this book. For one, having Death as a narrator was a choice that really strengthened the book as a whole. Death as a narrator along with Zusak's way with words (along with his writing style and structure and loveable characters and etc., etc., etc.) is a combination that formed some of the most beautiful writing I have seen. Zusak also showed us how all the stories, all the moments in this book are intertwined with each other. I like how some stories remind us of things we have already seen or provide us with foreshadowing for what is coming up. It makes this book entertaining to read every single time. 

I think what I love the most about this book is what it teaches us. It is a study of humanity and human nature from a distant point of view. Death is amazed by, terrified by, interested in humans. To quote the book directly, Death is "haunted" by us. It makes me think about my own humanity and that of the people around me.  But it does not just make me think about the bad side of humanity, it makes me think about all the good too. The book reminds me of all the beautiful parts of other human beings - people's selflessness, kindness, trust, love, etc., etc., etc. The book also teaches the importance of words. They can be influential. They can be harmful. They can be helpful. They can be life-changing. They can be used as a weapon, but they can also be used for good. 

Markus Zusak wrote a book that is so beautifully written and impactful. May I never forget how it made me feel. May I never forget his words. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Violence, War, Antisemitism, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, and Grief

Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Torture

Minor: Excrement and Alcohol