Reviews tagging 'War'

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

493 reviews

cc_shelflove's review against another edition

challenging reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

I have a lot of mixed emotions surrounding this book. First things first: I wish I could have protected Papa at all costs! 🥺 The relationships between Zusak’s characters felt strong and true. Papa and Liesel’s bond was so strong he entrusted the 10-year-old girl with his largest secret: he was hiding and helping a Jewish man, Max, in his basement. Oh, and the gift Max made Liesel for her birthday… 😭 Yet another strong connection featured in this book!

Where I struggled with this bestseller was its third-person point of view. Personally (and please don’t come at me for this), I wasn’t a fan of Death being the narrator, but I commend the author for his originality. Death’s recollection of events lacked emotion at times, and I wished I could see certain happenings through Liesel’s or Max’s eyes instead. Death also often referred to events that hadn’t happened yet, which was a bit confusing for this reader. I would much rather have read Liesel’s ‘dusty black book.’

A central theme in The Book Thief was the power of words. I enjoyed watching Liesel use a tome to bring neighbors together in a bomb shelter, in a time of uncertainty and fear. The author did a nice job of bringing this theme to a close in the epilogue as well. Overall, it’s possible I might have enjoyed this more if I hadn’t read The Little Liar so recently; that novel will reign superior in my mind. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Suicide, Violence, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Abandonment, War, and Classism

whatamidoing_rn's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

This book made me cry and books don’t often do that. It was an amazing read and I think everybody should read this at least once in their lifetime.

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Content Warnings

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

Minor: Grief

emilyb84's review against another edition

emotional

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide and War

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

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

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

ashes9878's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Moderate: Violence and Grief

beetree's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

4.25

I didn't understand the power of this until it drew itself together towards the end. And then I did. Breathtaking.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Antisemitism, and War

Moderate: Child death

_13stars's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• 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: Genocide, Antisemitism, Grief, and War

Moderate: Death and Violence

Minor: Child death

rafacolog's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Racism, Blood, Grief, and War

ashmak06's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail

readwithsarah's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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

I read this a few years ago and have seen the movie a bunch of times and I really love it. As usual, the book is better than the movie (even though the movie is really good!). The book explores the characters more deeply and I loved the imagery used throughout. I like how it's told from death's pov which makes it a little more unique. Such a sad but beautiful story, highly recommend!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism and War

Minor: Child death