What a Change of Pace
December 2, 2008
I read this book based on a friend's recommendation and I absolutely loved it. Zusak's style of writing, I found, was incredibly original. A definite page turner. I can't believe that people found this book to be confusing -- maybe out of the ordinary, but that was the beauty of it. A definite must read for adults.
This is a beautiful book!
December 1, 2008
I just finished reading The Book Thief and absolutely loved it. The only thing I do not understand is why it is billed as a 'young adult' novel. The content is serious and often quite disturbing. At no time did I feel like I was reading a 'teen' book. This is something that should be read by teens and adults alike.
I won't give a summary of the story - you can read that on the description of the book above. Just know that this is a beautiful book. I loved the writing style and how it was narrated by 'Death'. So cleverly written. This is a book that I want to press into the hands of everyone I know and say "Read this!" Bravo, Mr. Zusak, well done.
Spectacular
November 30, 2008
This is the best book I have read in years, and I am an avid reader. There are stunning bits of poetry on nearly every page. The "word pictures" as my 8-year-old calls them are elegant & positively evocative of the characters and setting. It was fun to recognize so many German phrases. And Hans is perhaps my favorite hero of fiction. My heart broke reading this book, not just because of tragedies, but because of the kindness and humanity of Hans Hubermann. I have recommended this book to everybody I know, my husband loved it, and I know that I will read it again.
Adult literature in the young adult section.
(1 of 1 Found this Helpful)
November 29, 2008
This is an unusual book. The sentence structure, the frequent bold print announcements, and the copious German language profanity were quite unexpected. The early chapters were a bit slow, and the perspective was so strange that it took me a while to get used to it. This novel did not hold my attention unfailingly, but in the end I was glad that I read the whole thing. It is a wonderful and worthwhile story.
I became fond of Liesel, papa and Rudy. They are fully believable, fully human characters. The author writes that they were the first characters he actually missed when the writing was done. I certainly miss them since I finished the story. Their love for each other was a wonderful thing to experience. The feelings between Liesel and Max were especially poignant. Zusak describes them in a realistic and heart wrenching way.
The choice of death as the narrator gave the book a unique flavor. While sergeant death is actually quite morbid at times, he or she is a sympathetic and understanding observer of human nature. In the early chapters I found this narrator to be a little too judgmental. I thought that some characters were typecast before I had a chance to know them. However, as the book progresses, these characters are revealed in more complex and realistic fashion. Zusak is a capable writer.
The Book Theif!!
November 25, 2008
By the end of this book i was Sobing like a baby!! and yes that is a good thing! i read books like no tommarrow but there are only a few which i can truly say are a work of art that all my friends should read! when i got done with this book i imidiently called my friend and barrowed them the book. All in All 10 outta 10
