Reviews

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

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pilateschick's review against another edition

5.0

Don't make the same mistake I did and wait for the plot. There isn't one. After 250 pages, I flipped to the back and read the synopsis. No plot. It's a story about a girl who lived on a street, spanning several years in Nazi Germany. Once I came to grips with that, I was able to settle in and really enjoy the book for what it was. Mark Zusak is a gifted and skilled writer. The relationships he draws between Liesel and her supporting cast are beautiful. Every one of them. I relished my time on Himmel Street.

antjevs16's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

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

5.0

floralrome's review against another edition

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5.0

This is a must read. It was very long, but the writing is really easy to read. The story just draws you in where you can’t put down the book.

OH AND THE ENDING!!! THE ENDING WAS SOOO GOOD( and sad). Just be prepared to have tissues next to you when you finish it.

enjoyjournaling's review against another edition

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emotional slow-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

It dragged a little in the middle for me, but I thought this was amazingly written. Having Death as a narrator was such an interesting premise and gives a little extra commentary on the war, as children don’t usually have a full understanding of everything going on. Cried a lot at the end, which honestly should be expected from a book about Nazi Germany

haleymk's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring sad tense slow-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? Yes

5.0

broe028's review against another edition

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2.0

Liesel is a young German girl just trying to make sense of the World War II mess around her. A depressing situation, Liesel’s family is illegally hiding a Jewish man in their basement, and while Liesel is struggling to grasp why the Jewish are being persecuted, she connects with him anyways. Through her book stealing and story stealing, this young girl makes an attempt to change the mood of the house for the better. In the eighth grade, we learned all about the Holocaust, and I remember having to read this book in our English class. What I enjoy about this book, is that while Ann Frank is the first name we think of, this is also an extremely contributing war book. This book allows for the historical context while also showing the light on the innocence of a small girl. I can absolutely see this book being used in the same type of classroom setting that I experienced this book in. It shows the historical side but also the humane side. This may be difficult for some students to get through, but it’s worth the try.
I personally did not enjoy this book, but I also felt tired of the Holocaust readings that I was forced to get through, and the topic just wasn't for me, but this is an award winner that I know lots of other people enjoyed.