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jdanby's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
It was just a tad too slow side for me though.
Moderate: War, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Child death, Genocide, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
_fallinglight_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Graphic: Physical abuse, Suicide, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, War, Antisemitism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Child abuse, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Violence, Ableism, Child death, and Grief
friendly_neighborhood_grandma's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Cursing, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Antisemitism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Genocide, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and War
Moderate: Suicide, Violence, and Torture
Minor: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
aia_r's review against another edition
- 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
Without a doubt one of the greatest most original pieces of this day and age. Highly recommend.
Moderate: Racism, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, War, Violence, Child death, Antisemitism, Death, and Hate crime
sadiaa's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Classism, Death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Cursing, Hate crime, Genocide, Grief, War, Xenophobia, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
percys_panda_pillow_pet's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Still, I cannot help but think I was...not disappointed but perhaps unenlightened, might be the best word here. Forgive me if I get a tad poetic here with my writing, I just think at least in my language I can do justice to a book that has done so much for others that it could not do for me. At this time in my life, I have already read several first-hand accounts of WWII, particularly from either the US or Jewish perspectives. Night by Elie Wiesel that I read in 8th grade comes to mind, a popular reading for school. I just don't think The Book Thief was necessary for me to read now.
Don't get me wrong, the novel isn't terrible by any means, and my star rating will reflect that feeling, but I don't need it. I know there are some out there that do, and that is where the book's value lies. I didn't need it to tell me there were good people in Germany at the time, I didn't need it to tell me there are innocents on both sides, to show me the absolute tragedy war is. I already knew all that and more. Zusak's writing is beautiful, and while the story was a bit slow-paced in the first quarter of the novel, I really zoomed through the rest of it, sitting on the edge of my seat when the tension was the highest. He really is an accomplished author, knowing exactly when to make a new section and ratchet up suspense for the reader. But when all was said and done, I felt myself questioning, "What else?" Sure, it's an important story, no doubt about that. But I wanted to know about the afterward. How do you come back from all that sorrow and anguish and persecution?
WWII books love to go on and on about the Holocaust and its effects, good to learn about absolutely, but I want to know about those who survived the camps, where did they go? What about the propaganda? That doesn't disappear overnight. Neither does the hatred. I'm just sort of done with stories like this, or The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. I'm done with the pain. I need hope too.
Graphic: Genocide, Violence, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Antisemitism, Death, Death of parent, Child death, Police brutality, and War
Moderate: Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, and Slavery
julesadventurezone's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Antisemitism, Death of parent, Mental illness, Deportation, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Death, Child death, Sexism, and War
Moderate: Car accident, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Bullying, Medical content, Misogyny, Racism, Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, Child abuse, and Physical abuse
burnt_amber89's review against another edition
- 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 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*.
Graphic: Grief, War, Genocide, Violence, Abandonment, Antisemitism, Child death, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Cursing, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
veganecurrywurst's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Das traurige sind nicht die großen Ereignisse in der Geschichte, sondern der Alltag oder das was für die Charaktere Alltag ist.
Die Geschichte wird mich auf jeden Fall noch einen Weile verfolgen.
Graphic: Cursing, Death, War, Genocide, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Death of parent, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, and Grief
Minor: Torture, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide
syd991's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.5
I will say the narration took some getting used to, with Death being the narrator and all. I didn’t mind the straight to the point style, however there was something about it that made starting the book slightly difficult for me.
Once I’d gotten past the narration (again, this issue is just my personal preference of style), I started to really enjoy it. The characters are loveable, you feel their joy and pain, and truly understand their triumphs and failures.
This book also makes the list of now 4 books to have ever made me cry (Can you tell I don’t cry often over books?). That’s really saying something, about me personally and the emotion the Zusak puts into this book. It’s truly heartbreaking.
Everyone should read this at least once in their lives. It’s too powerful and well-written for someone to keep it on a shelf.
Graphic: Antisemitism, War, Violence, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Child death, Gore, and Cursing
Minor: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Self harm