Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

111 reviews

bookishchristiana's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

 “I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.” 
&
 “Like most misery, it started with apparent happiness.” 
&
 “It kills me sometimes, how people die.” - Markus Zusak, The Book Thief. 

To begin with, there are so many more quotes I could have put at the start of this post. This book is beautifully written, perhaps the most beautiful I've ever read. I know I'm extremely late to the party, but I absolutely loved The Book Thief. The premise, a story about Nazi Germany told from the perspective of death and a young girl, is so original and it is executed immaculately. It portrays the beauty but also evil of humanity so so well; how we were all pure young children once but we grow to love and hate so much. The horrors of Nazi Germany are not shied away from, they are front and centre. Despite this, I think the book is truly about a child's capacity to love those around them, despite the horrors. The main cast of characters are so loveable and human in the best way. That doesn't negate the terrible things happening around them, they continue throughout and are awful to read. Conversely to our main cast, we are also shown the true horrors humans inflict on one another. The hatred instilled in such a large population was and is terrifying, demonstrating how characters and real people are also human in the worst way. I think, considering the things occurring in our world today (the Palestinian genocide to name perhaps the most prominent one on our minds at the moment), this book continues to be painfully relevant. The lessons learned and the things considered in The Book Thief cannot and should not be forgotten. This literary masterpiece is so so important, I'm only sad I didn't read it sooner. To describe this book in a single sentence, I would say that this book is about humanity at its best and worst. I adored it and it devastated me (I cried so much at the end). This review may have been a bit of a ramble but I hope I got my main points across. If you haven't read this yet, please do, and if you have, read it again! - C x

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Religious bigotry, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Antisemitism, War, Genocide, and Slavery

wiktoria_p's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, War, and Hate crime

Minor: Physical abuse

te_ss_i's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Confinement, Classism, Bullying, Suicide, Emotional abuse, War, Medical content, Antisemitism, Abandonment, Torture, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Child death, Child abuse, Hate crime, Genocide, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Racism, Murder, Gun violence, Gore, Violence, Terminal illness, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Death, Cultural appropriation, Physical abuse, Body shaming, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

laurengvrce's review against another edition

emotional informative 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Hate crime, Antisemitism, War, Death, and Child death

pandemonicbaby's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

Wow. I just bawled my eyes out with the last few chapters.
I should've known. The subject of death always makes me cry.

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Torture, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Classism, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Blood, Sexism, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Addiction, Gore, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Body horror, Medical content, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Vomit, Racism, and Medical trauma

_chloe_reads_'s review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Antisemitism, Grief, Genocide, and Hate crime

lindasoderlundd's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, War, Confinement, Death of parent, Hate crime, Genocide, and Child death

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Suicide

Minor: Alcohol, Ableism, Blood, Bullying, Car accident, and Classism

aia_r's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring relaxing 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

The Book Thief is a beautiful book about broken dreams, family, love and friendship. This is a book that will make you smile and laugh,  one that will warm your heart. It is also one that will make you feel helpless and upset, even angry at times. An immensely moving book. 
Without a doubt one of the greatest most original pieces of this day and age.  Highly recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, War, Violence, Child death, Antisemitism, Death, and Hate crime

allisonsmith120's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Antisemitism, War, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Blood, Hate crime, Suicide, and Violence

Minor: Classism and Vomit

lamolleteslg's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? N/A

4.75

wow.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Violence, Murder, Genocide, War, Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Hate crime, Cursing, and Physical abuse