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A review by inthelunaseas
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
5.0
Firstly: I had no idea Zusak was Australian. There you go.
I can tell this book would easily be a splitter. The style, the language, the uncharacteristically, but quite obviously, unhappy ending.
I enjoyed it. In a way I expected to. It's a very easy read, Zusak has a way with words, and it was, as someone else has said, experimental. Zusak was clearly playing with an idea, a theme, and for me, it worked. Given the number of awards it's won, it has also clearly worked for a number of other people as well.
I will admit Zusak's intended obvious theme running, not-so-subtle meanings and what else did start to grate on me at points. It was like my high school English teacher yelling down my back, saying 'SEE! LOOK AT ALL THE DEPTH!'. I think it doesn't help the English department where I myself teach are currently working with this book.
But I loved it. I did. And I just know my dad would hate it. But I really did enjoy it, and I enjoyed the imagery and... and it was good. Very good.
And it's so bleeding obvious an author is Australian when a foreign character moves to Australia. Way to go, Zusak. I think that's what bothered me the most.
I can tell this book would easily be a splitter. The style, the language, the uncharacteristically, but quite obviously, unhappy ending.
I enjoyed it. In a way I expected to. It's a very easy read, Zusak has a way with words, and it was, as someone else has said, experimental. Zusak was clearly playing with an idea, a theme, and for me, it worked. Given the number of awards it's won, it has also clearly worked for a number of other people as well.
I will admit Zusak's intended obvious theme running, not-so-subtle meanings and what else did start to grate on me at points. It was like my high school English teacher yelling down my back, saying 'SEE! LOOK AT ALL THE DEPTH!'. I think it doesn't help the English department where I myself teach are currently working with this book.
But I loved it. I did. And I just know my dad would hate it. But I really did enjoy it, and I enjoyed the imagery and... and it was good. Very good.
And it's so bleeding obvious an author is Australian when a foreign character moves to Australia. Way to go, Zusak. I think that's what bothered me the most.