Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

41 reviews

etaypoe's review against another edition

challenging sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

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

amgarrido's review

emotional funny inspiring reflective sad medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Violence, War, Genocide, Xenophobia, Racism, Death, and Murder

lyeve's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring medium-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? No

4.0

Beautifully heartbreaking.
As you follow the story of Liesel ("the book thief"), you slowly realize every horror the Holocaust caused, including to the German population. The poverty, the obligation to follow the rules set by Hitler, not knowing what exactly is happening, the helplessness. But also trying to make the best of what they had and living in the moment. 

The use of death as a narrator scared me at first, as it seemed like an almost cliche trope that could easily go wrong. Yet, it surprisingly works. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia and Death

Moderate: War, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse

sierraclimbs's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

This story was completely enchanting from the moment I pressed play on the audiobook. It somehow takes such a widely known event (the Holocaust) & tells a beautiful and tragic story from a unique perspective, Death. Because the story is narrated by Death, it gives a somewhat neutral perspective on the horrific events which I felt really let the reader experience the time for what it was, rather than a bias narrator. (Not that I think there is any gray area around the right & wrong of the holocaust. More so that it allows you to get in the headspace of just being a human living through that time. Rather than it being a historical retelling where you know what is the right & wrong choice) 
It was a truly raw & human experience reading this book. 
Highly recommend the audiobook. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Child death, Death, Child abuse, Bullying, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Suicide, and Vomit

I find none of the content was excessive or exaggerated for shock value. If anything, it felt very thought out & deliberate to depict a reality of a horrific time period.

fuzzygazelle's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

Such a beautiful and timely book. I knew it was going to make me cry once I started getting attached to the characters but I didn't think i would ugly sob. But everyone is so lovable, the character progression of the Huberman family, Liesel and Rudy's growths, Liesel's relationship with everyone. It's funny at times and it's light-hearted when we are just seeing their lives and it makes it real. The narration is also really nice and unique and Death's propensity to spoil things just makes it even more tense. It's so beautifully tragic and sad.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, War, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Xenophobia, Suicide, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Genocide, Death, Child death, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Medical content, Death of parent, and Hate crime

Moderate: Abandonment, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Slavery, Bullying, and Gore

Minor: Alcoholism and Alcohol

danielleboldry's review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.75

heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. beautiful characters and a really interesting perspective for a ww2 story — the only thing i didn’t really enjoy was the narration :( 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Xenophobia, War, and Death

_fallinglight_'s review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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

catarina_pego's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Suicide, Child death, Cursing, Death, War, Violence, Antisemitism, Xenophobia, Torture, Physical abuse, Grief, and Deportation

berrytart's review

emotional reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

4.75

This book is amazing! At the start it was very slow, but once you start reading through the pages, it sucks you in. Having death as the narrator was a beautiful idea!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Xenophobia, Cursing, Hate crime, Antisemitism, Child death, Death of parent, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Blood, Misogyny, and Suicide

akizato's review

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Antisemitism, and Death

Moderate: Blood, Child death, Police brutality, and Genocide

Minor: Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, War, and Alcoholism