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authorcharlottee's review against another edition
5.0
This is the most incredible book I’ve ever read.
ccamocha's review against another edition
3.0
4.25.. made me sob at 4am when i finished it. My expectations were the fact that it was a story about a girl befriending death. Not quite, not even close, but it didn't disappoint. I am still perplex about how i should rate this one..
Don't have anything else to say about it..
Don't have anything else to say about it..
joyreadsinnc's review against another edition
5.0
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this book...it will be one that will stay with me for a long time. This is not just your usual telling of events during World War II, it is an account of an adolescent girl's hardships and life lessons (coming of age), while living during this time period in Nazi Germany.
One reasons I believe this story is so different than many others of this time period is because we are usually seeing things from the perspective of those who were in concentration camps, perpetrators of the abuse of millions of people, or an account of historians and outsiders looking inward (which usually leads to some judgmental opinions and tones). However, this fictional book shows how someone can live within a system knowing that it is wrong, trying to fight against the system, while also trying to blend in for survival. It leaves you with a feel of the difficulties and complications of being a German citizen during WWII when you don't agree with everyone else around you (who may also not agree, but aren't brave to say so). And, of course, it is also about one's relationships, inspirational moments, laughter, tears, and an overall sadness that things couldn't have happened differently, but secretly knowing that nothing would be as poignant and important if they hadn't.
One reasons I believe this story is so different than many others of this time period is because we are usually seeing things from the perspective of those who were in concentration camps, perpetrators of the abuse of millions of people, or an account of historians and outsiders looking inward (which usually leads to some judgmental opinions and tones). However, this fictional book shows how someone can live within a system knowing that it is wrong, trying to fight against the system, while also trying to blend in for survival. It leaves you with a feel of the difficulties and complications of being a German citizen during WWII when you don't agree with everyone else around you (who may also not agree, but aren't brave to say so). And, of course, it is also about one's relationships, inspirational moments, laughter, tears, and an overall sadness that things couldn't have happened differently, but secretly knowing that nothing would be as poignant and important if they hadn't.
amrita_yadav's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
How can you not love this book? Isn't it the obvious choice of book to be placed in the list of books that everyone should read before they die. There are very few books about war and political situations that can make it through to the readers and not bore them. I had read The Diary of Anne Frank when it was an assigned reading given to my brother. You saw her life in Germany but it was a Jewish girl's perspective of people that were in the hiding. This book shows a Nazi girl's perspective. It is important to look at the story from this way too, to see all the horrible inhumane things happening and to be a part in its glorified narration.
To be on the other side, brainwashed into thinking it is all for the better, is to be blissfully ignorant. Ignorance is bliss. To have a heart, that beats for humanity, to know death, to understand the difference between right and wrong before knowing the difference between races, religion and culture, is truly the sorrowful thing. You are so miserable when you are in the know, miserable for other people's suffering, miserable for your helplessness to do anything about it. I'm reminded of a quote by Sant Kabir,"Sukhiya sab sansar hai, khaye aur soye. Dukhiya das kabir hai, jage aur roye."(The whole world is happy, eats and sleeps. Kabir is a sad slave, wake up and cry.)
The thing about history is that it repeats. It has only been a few days since the bombing in Rafah and I came to these lines:"...No one would bomb a place named after heaven, would they? Would they?...","...All while people slept.","...All sleeping. All dying." The political situation in India has given rise to polarized feelings in people, hatred has become a common emotion. To read how people are manipulated in thinking against a group, in small thought out steps. Make them feel the glory of their race, tell them about how they have suffered for generations, tell them they are all at risk of becoming extinct due to the take over of the other race, then finally give them a Messiah that will save them all.
Lastly, since this is a book narrated by death, all the different ways and places that people are destined to die is something that mimics the real life. Someone takes else's place in the army to save that person and ends up surviving rather than that person, someone goes to war 3 times and still survives to come home and spend the last days of his life with family, how an argument could be the last time you meet someone, how you can survive the war but not the guilt of being alive, and how there can be a single survivor amidst it all.
Five star. Definite, immediate read. Life is incomplete if you haven't read it.
To be on the other side, brainwashed into thinking it is all for the better, is to be blissfully ignorant. Ignorance is bliss. To have a heart, that beats for humanity, to know death, to understand the difference between right and wrong before knowing the difference between races, religion and culture, is truly the sorrowful thing. You are so miserable when you are in the know, miserable for other people's suffering, miserable for your helplessness to do anything about it. I'm reminded of a quote by Sant Kabir,"Sukhiya sab sansar hai, khaye aur soye. Dukhiya das kabir hai, jage aur roye."(The whole world is happy, eats and sleeps. Kabir is a sad slave, wake up and cry.)
The thing about history is that it repeats. It has only been a few days since the bombing in Rafah and I came to these lines:"...No one would bomb a place named after heaven, would they? Would they?...","...All while people slept.","...All sleeping. All dying." The political situation in India has given rise to polarized feelings in people, hatred has become a common emotion. To read how people are manipulated in thinking against a group, in small thought out steps. Make them feel the glory of their race, tell them about how they have suffered for generations, tell them they are all at risk of becoming extinct due to the take over of the other race, then finally give them a Messiah that will save them all.
Lastly, since this is a book narrated by death, all the different ways and places that people are destined to die is something that mimics the real life. Someone takes else's place in the army to save that person and ends up surviving rather than that person, someone goes to war 3 times and still survives to come home and spend the last days of his life with family, how an argument could be the last time you meet someone, how you can survive the war but not the guilt of being alive, and how there can be a single survivor amidst it all.
Five star. Definite, immediate read. Life is incomplete if you haven't read it.
chanelchapters's review against another edition
2.0
I picked this based purely on the hype - that was a mistake.
The story had promise but the way it was portrayed just whittled it away to nothing - it was meant to be emotional and sad but I felt nothing. I absolutely hated that the author would tell you what was going to happen at the beginning of a chapter in a tiny snippet so that the rest of the chapter is just a laborious read to get the end which you already know. This book therefore had ZERO suspense, intrigue or mystery.
Some of the writing was wonderful, but most of his metaphors and similes either made absolutely no sense, contributed nothing or were all the same - they made me cringe at how bad they were.
Reading death's viewpoint had so much potential, but it got boring far too quickly.
This book is also way too long and I put this down more times than I can recall - it took me months to finish and I usually finish every book in less than one day. And after dragging the story out for so long it suddenly ends, in a dull, unsatisfactory manner.
The story had promise but the way it was portrayed just whittled it away to nothing - it was meant to be emotional and sad but I felt nothing. I absolutely hated that the author would tell you what was going to happen at the beginning of a chapter in a tiny snippet so that the rest of the chapter is just a laborious read to get the end which you already know. This book therefore had ZERO suspense, intrigue or mystery.
Some of the writing was wonderful, but most of his metaphors and similes either made absolutely no sense, contributed nothing or were all the same - they made me cringe at how bad they were.
Reading death's viewpoint had so much potential, but it got boring far too quickly.
This book is also way too long and I put this down more times than I can recall - it took me months to finish and I usually finish every book in less than one day. And after dragging the story out for so long it suddenly ends, in a dull, unsatisfactory manner.
kiana2173's review against another edition
5.0
I loved how this author made descriptions throughout the story. This book takes place during the book burnings during WWII Germany, and boy oh boy was it a heart pumping novel. Especially when a hidden man is involved, and keeping a particular secret means life or death.
Repost of Review from Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C2vRz6YRhv1/?img_index=1
Repost of Review from Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C2vRz6YRhv1/?img_index=1
czarfancypants's review against another edition
emotional
sad
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? It's complicated
4.25
smuttea_matcha's review against another edition
5.0
Holy shit. I think I just died from sadness. I knew I shouldn't have picked this up, but I just had to. And I love and hate myself for going through this torture. I don't know how to explain The Book Thief. It's just a trip. You get to see WWII from the eyes of an innocent little girl who's trying to understand why things are happening and why her little brother had to die that fateful night.
Told from the point of view of Death was certainly interesting. The whole set up for this book was interesting and worked brilliantly. We get to read little notes from death and we get to read of the struggles of Liesel. Her and Rudy are adorable and they were one of the best things in this book. The narrative was fantastic, the ending was depressingly amazing, the character growth/development was riveting. Honestly, just read the damn book and make sure you have plenty of Kleenex around.
Told from the point of view of Death was certainly interesting. The whole set up for this book was interesting and worked brilliantly. We get to read little notes from death and we get to read of the struggles of Liesel. Her and Rudy are adorable and they were one of the best things in this book. The narrative was fantastic, the ending was depressingly amazing, the character growth/development was riveting. Honestly, just read the damn book and make sure you have plenty of Kleenex around.
allielit's review against another edition
4.0
Didn't know this was a young adult book, but in hindsight I can see it the way the events are described. Interesting narrator voice.