Reviews with content warning for Abandonment - The Book Thief

Although it was hard to read through the tears (especially towards the end), this was a wonderful experience. I absolutely adored all the characters, and reading this while the war in Ukraine just broke out made it all the much more poignant. It really makes the reader understand the effects of war on regular civilians, on kids, on families that just want to make the best of a dire situation, even on the side of the agressor. The innocence of Liesel only emphasizes on the absurdity, pointlessness, and incomprehensibility of war. The figure of Papa brings warmth, justice and humanity to the worst possible situation. Every single relationship Liesel forms with the other characters bring something unique and precious to the discourse, and the tale is told in such a spectacular way that I could barely put the book down.
The poetry of the text is incredible, it is so poignant, and yet extremely accessible. The fact that we know from the very beginning that the ending will be terrible doesn't make it any less dramatic, which is the sign that the book is beautifully written and that the characters are particularly believable. I honestly felt something akin to grieving at the end, and even several times throughout the book.

I had seen the movie prior, and even though I loved it, I can honestly and easily say that the book is far superior, in the sense that words convey so much more meaning than simply images. Words are actually almost a character in their sense, and they play an important role in the story, that I don't think I grasped while watching the movie.

In the book, you get to know the characters intimately, spend a lot of time with them, accompany them through some life-changing events in a way that is even more touching than in the film. The little details, the mundane observations, the everyday poetry really had an effect on me. It gripped me from the very first sentences to the very last ones, and my throat still aches now that I think about it again a few days after I finished this wonderful book. As far as I'm concerned, it's an easy 5*.

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sarahaf712's review against another edition

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2.0

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chloeloi's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Phenomenal book. Beautifully written.

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bhagyasree's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

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joan_salder's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

** spoiler alert ** Here is a small fact: you are going to die

It tore me apart!

That is not all I would say about this book.

I am astonished by the context and perspective of the story, as it is told by someone we have never met: Death. Death says he's haunted by humans, and I believe he's right. We are born to die or we die to be born again, I don't know, secrets are still secrets. The souls, the people, we make links with them, we love them, knowing that one day none of us will exist, not only on earth, but also in the minds.

A reassuring announcement: Please, be calm, despite that previous threat. I am not violent. I am not malicious. I am a result.

Papa (Hans Hubermann), just blew my heart away as he died. His death was more tragic than the rest. Oh dear Rudy. Do you have any idea how much Liesel loved you? Don't you know how she feels about your death? Oh no! All you cared about was that kiss you never received from her. Is that so? Eh? The tragic deaths of all the people around and death tells so peacefully, as if it sedated them. I cannot help but love every character, even death. Everything is beautiful in this book. The kiss, the theft, the mini-stories of Max, the presents given to Max by Liesel, the accordion, the insults of Rosa Hubermann (Mama) and everything. The accordion breathes as Papa breathes, Papa is the accordion. He is the sweetness of music and the taste of music, the keys and the notes because he is the accordion.

One opportunity leads directly to another, just as risk leads to more risk, life to more life and death to more death

The accordion and the book, they bought the characters together. Papa with Rosa, Liesel with Papa, Rosa with Liesel, Liesel with Rudy, Papa with Max and Max with Liesel. It is unbelievable that two normal things which are often found in the world could bring people together and save someone's life, but life is surprising in its many ways.

Hitler truly deserved the death he received in my view because he is a whore

'When death captures me,' the boy vowed, 'he will feel my fist on his face.

One story I cannot deny is "The Word Shaker." Words have the power to destroy us, to rebuild us, to convince, to reject and to even capture the world. Liesel, at such a young age, has understood something years of experience cannot and that means she has experienced the world in these few years?

'After all,' he said, 'you should know it yourself - a young man is still a boy, and a boy sometimes has the right to be stubborn.'

Papa is heaven and anyone cannot prove it to be wrong that that is why he lives in Himmel Street. He is a teacher, a friend, a best friend, an uncle, a husband and a father. Liesel may have seen or not seen her father but Papa is the only true father she had.

Mama. What could I say about her? She is a coconut: hard on the outside but soft in the inside. My opinions changed about her when she hugged Liesel for the first time after she had a bath. I can say nothing more because she is heaven's wife.

'His hair is like feathers.'

The Jew fist-fighter is the one that broke my heart for the first time in the book when he left Liesel and Papa and Mama with the thought that they would get caught because of him. No, he shouldn't have, but yes he should have because that is how he survived.

The lovely Rudy Steiner is the little miracle that happened in Liesel's life. He is like a pure golden chain that when tugged at, breaks. Oh dear Rudy.

Liesel Meminger hated herself for being in the basement, writing her stupid story, but no, it was not her fault at all. It was the stupid Fuhrer that did all that happened.

It is my favorite book of all time and I loved it more than anything out there, just like Liesel.

A Masterpiece

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