68 reviews for:

The Thief of Time

John Boyne

3.43 AVERAGE


Het idee was wel leuk, maar de uitwerking was het gewoon net niet..
informative reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
adventurous emotional funny informative lighthearted reflective 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: Complicated

This book is quite interesting, plus I like John Boyne's style. Even if the book is long, it's very pleasant to read.
One star removed because it could feel repetitive at times, but I think the way he constructed the narrative kept us engaged enough.

Do recommend this one!
crypticmeg's profile picture

crypticmeg's review

1.0
medium-paced

*Deep breath (because this book made me very cross)*.

What was the point in that? I only persevered to the end to discuss it at book group, and I'm still none the wiser about why it was written.

Why was the central premise never explored? Him living forever just seemed a vehicle to have him be in lots of unrelated historic events and locations. I had *so* many questions about the practicalities of how and why he could live like that (which would have been really interesting - but he/the author just had no curiosity about it whatsoever).

"Toxic masculinity" is also a phrase that kept springing to mind. The narrator/author was *awful* about women - they were so transitory and caricatured.

Some chapters seemed particularly poorly written - a lot of repetition, inconsistent characterisation, and unnatural dialogue.

The overarching plot was very predictable. 

I thoroughly disliked the protagonist and didn't care what happened to him.

What was the theme? What was the message? I gained nothing except increasing frustration. A complete dud for me.

A man lives centuries and impacts people, but mostly in a bad way. Interesting plot twists, but the man is a self-centered jerk.
mysterious reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
modrockz's profile picture

modrockz's review

4.0
challenging dark emotional medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Another Boyne hit

Ok so this is a good book don’t be fooled by the three stars. Honestly the way it’s written mesmerising and bewitching. The way it flows from one story to another and also through the centuries. But and here’s a big but I really hated and despised the main character. I just didn’t like him at all thought he was a bit stupid at times and a bit too naive even through all the centuries he’s been through. I just felt a bit bored by him at points and thought he was a bit of a fantasist himself. But I did like the use of some historical figures and how it all blends together.
shona_reads_in_devon's profile picture

shona_reads_in_devon's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH

I don't know if I'm in the wrong mood to read this but I gave it 113 pages.

I don't like the MC. It appears to be simply a catalogue of the various women he meets during his interminable existence and some modern mulling on the multiple feckless nephews that he has neglected to assist in any meaningful way. It takes him 256 years to realise that he might be able to intervene in some sort of positive manner which tells you everything you need to know.

I suspect that the fact of his elongated life is not going to be properly addressed which will annoy me incredibly if I commit to the full 500 pages, so I'm ducking out early.

o_max16's review

4.0
adventurous emotional funny reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes