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marissasa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Grief, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Cursing, Child death, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Violence, and War
kyarabereading'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? It's complicated
5.0
I love the attention to detail Zusak clearly put into this book. This is a book that seems like it took a lot of Zusak's time and research - and all that hard work truly paid off. Everything is so, so real. The characters, the location, the historical events - they all create a story that is so incredibly real. So, so honest. It makes you fall in love with the characters. It makes you feel their pain. It makes it hurt that much more when they're hurt, especially when you realize this story was a reality for many people in 1940s Germany. This book does not sugarcoat the effects of the Holocaust or everyone's participation in it - everyone from the Hitler fanatic to the complaisant supporter. It does not sugarcoat how WWII hurt so many people. It's tragic to see how all this built up, to see what people did because of fear and hatred. What they did for survival.
I also love the creative choices Zusak makes in this book. For one, having Death as a narrator was a choice that really strengthened the book as a whole. Death as a narrator along with Zusak's way with words (along with his writing style and structure and loveable characters and etc., etc., etc.) is a combination that formed some of the most beautiful writing I have seen. Zusak also showed us how all the stories, all the moments in this book are intertwined with each other. I like how some stories remind us of things we have already seen or provide us with foreshadowing for what is coming up. It makes this book entertaining to read every single time.
I think what I love the most about this book is what it teaches us. It is a study of humanity and human nature from a distant point of view. Death is amazed by, terrified by, interested in humans. To quote the book directly, Death is "haunted" by us. It makes me think about my own humanity and that of the people around me. But it does not just make me think about the bad side of humanity, it makes me think about all the good too. The book reminds me of all the beautiful parts of other human beings - people's selflessness, kindness, trust, love, etc., etc., etc. The book also teaches the importance of words. They can be influential. They can be harmful. They can be helpful. They can be life-changing. They can be used as a weapon, but they can also be used for good.
Markus Zusak wrote a book that is so beautifully written and impactful. May I never forget how it made me feel. May I never forget his words.
Graphic: Hate crime, Violence, War, Antisemitism, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, and Grief
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Torture
Minor: Excrement and Alcohol
brownieboo's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Antisemitism, Child death, Confinement, Genocide, Religious bigotry, Death, Death of parent, War, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Abandonment, Ableism, Police brutality, Suicide, Bullying, Colonisation, Slavery, Violence, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Cursing, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Blood, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, and Physical abuse
books_and_coffee_vibes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book made me happy, made me laugh at times but it shattered my heart. I didn’t think a book could destroy me the way this one did.
<the ending, I couldn’t stop crying. The way she grieved at the end broke my heart even more>
I loved this book so much but I don’t think I’ll ever reread it. I feel like it won’t be the same and I can’t put my poor heart through that again.
I loved every second of this book and would highly recommend it to anyone
Graphic: Gore, Murder, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Child death, Death, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and War
herbertem1996'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? No
4.5
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Murder, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Child death, War, Violence, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, and Antisemitism
thestorydoer'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
4.75
Moderate: Death and War
Minor: Blood and Gore
cathwolfiereads'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? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, Murder, Racial slurs, War, Death, and Grief
marybsimp's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Antisemitism, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Blood, Death, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, Torture, and War
hoarde_of_words's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Child death, Antisemitism, Death of parent, War, Cursing, and Death
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, and Genocide
heuteschongekurtet's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Antisemitism, Blood, Child death, Death of parent, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and War
Moderate: Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, and Cursing