Reviews tagging 'Antisemitism'

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

406 reviews

delz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? No

5.0

This is an amazing, beautifully written book that centers on one period in history, but is in fact a truth about anytime humanity exists. We saw dangerous words wielded to destroy during the Holocaust/2nd WW. We saw it happen in 40’s/50’s with McCarthyism and we see it now in 2024. The narrator is omniscient, because it’s death. Death sees all the destruction and the beauty and shares snippets with the reader throughout. Death follows the story of a little orphan girl, Liesel Meminger during her life as the foster daughter of Rosa and Hans Hubermann, living on Himmel St, in Molching, Germany. All of the characters feel real, are well fleshed out and as heartbreaking as this story is at times there is still joy to be found within their relationships. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Self harm, Genocide, Grief, Vomit, Child death, Bullying, Confinement, Suicide, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Antisemitism

bludgeoned_by_hail's review against another edition

dark emotional funny inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I honestly don't even really know what to say. An absolute triumph in every way.
The Book Thief is about many things: it's about the power of words, about war, its cogs and consequences, about World War II in specific, about civilians and quiet resistance, about friendship, about family and community, about life, death and existence, but mainly, it's about humans. 
As such, it is funny, bleak, lighthearted and unbelievably heavy, hopeful and hopeless, without the slightest tonal whiplash. The writing is striking, unique, and masterful, relaying this ridiculously ambitious story of contradictions without somehow ever becoming preachy, stilted or boring even for a second.
Beautiful, haunting book. Recommended to everyone.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism and Genocide

Moderate: War, Suicide, and Child death

kissreka03's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

shoshi824's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Cursing, War, Death, Child death, Antisemitism, Suicide, and Religious bigotry

ishkodeke's review against another edition

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? N/A

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Racism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Self harm, Suicide, Gore, Grief, Physical abuse, Antisemitism, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Violence, War, Child death, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Racial slurs

maratagon's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Moderate: Hate crime, Child death, Antisemitism, and Death of parent

starr27's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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? N/A

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Antisemitism

Moderate: Suicide, Child death, Violence, and War

Minor: Death of parent, Alcohol, and Genocide

griminycricket's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Violence, Genocide, Grief, Police brutality, Racism, Vomit, Death of parent, and War

admiralteaa's review against another edition

reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

I didn't think I would enjoy this book as much as I did. A compelling and engaging story, even with events being spelt out in advance it manages to suprise in places.

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Content Warnings

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

bluelien's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-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

Reading this book was an amazing and eye-opening experience, I loved it so much!! This story takes place in nazi Germany, and our 'main character' is a German girl to communist parents. Due to her circumstances, she is taken in by a nazi-unapproving German family. The book thus sheds light on the disgusting treatment of Jewish people, but also on the persecution of communist people and the fear of being publicly against the regime. One of my favorite things about this book was the unique narrator. We learn the facts as observed by 'death/grim reaper', who's tasked with collecting the unfortunate souls, and to me, this makes for an interesting POV. All in all, it's an enjoyable emotional read and a story that will stay with me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism and War

Moderate: Child death