The Book Thief
Ratings1,266
Average rating4.3
I surprisingly loved this book. I usually don't like young adult books, as they seem too one dimensional, but this is a really good book. It's a slow book, where nothing really happens, is narrated by Death, and it's the most realistic book I've ever read set during a war. The waiting around, the improvised games, and the always present Death.
When death is coming from above, randomly and haphazardly, there's nothing to do, there's no action, and there's no planning. Everyone is a pawn in much bigger hands, and hoping death won't be coming for them this time, while planning their little rebellions here and there. I don't want to spoil any parts, so I'm being really vague, but it's a book that I have deeply felt, with characters that I truly got attached to.
“I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.”
I dont have a review. I love this book. I am in tears.
“I am haunted by humans.”
It was a decent book (although you could tell it's YA and not adult fiction) but I didn't think it was super amazing or noteworthy. Super tugging on the heart strings with the death and all that but at the same time I felt a bit cynical/sceptical about it all.
I finally did it!! I read the Book Thief!
While I wouldn't call this book life-changing, maybe it is for other people. I appreciated the gravitas that the last 70 pages offered, but throughout, I felt there was not a tangible conflict. Because of this, I found myself drawn to listen on an audiobook rather than reading my copy.
However, despite what I feel is a small issue with the book's pacing and plot structure, the prose is more than enough to spark the imagination of readers. I wish I could give this book a 3.5: 3 during the first 480 Pages, 4 during the final 70. Is there a better book that takes place during WW2? NOT THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS
** I am haunted by humans **
Well written, an incredible story that everyone should read at least once in their life time.
3.5 stars
I have had this book on my TBR for the longest time but for whatever reason I kept putting it off. I finally read it back in May and while I did enjoy this book I wasn't as into it as much as I thought I would be.
While I can and do appreciate this book and I think everyone should read it it's not without its flaws. I hate to talk negatively about a book that I think is important but I can't look past these flaws.
First off the pacing for the first half of this book is slow. Extremely slow. I like when things are happening in books. Give me some action or drama anything besides just the boring day to day lives of the characters. While it picked up slightly for me about halfway through it didn't really hook me until the last 50 pages give or take.
When you first start this book it will immediately pull at your heartstrings and it will continue to do that throughout the book but it's not as impactful as it could be because the narrator spoils the characters deaths for you before they actually happen which bugged me so much.
What made me want to read this book to begin with was that it is narrated by death. It's unique and I loved that about this book.
Like I said I do appreciate this book and overall I did enjoy it and I think this is a book that everyone should read at some point and I can totally see why so many people love this book but I didn't love it as much as I hoped I would.
Story was touching,full of life and lifeless at the same time.
Amazing narration and amazing story!
A must read!
sentada en frente de la computadora de mi trabajo llorando una lectura muy lenta pero tiene un final impactante
Eventually!! I've eventually read this book and I'm so glad. I feel like it's one of those ‘bucket list' books you just have to read at some point in your life.
So the things I loved were the characters, the setting and death as the narrator. Every single one of these characters are written in such a way that they are clear in your mind and you care what happens to them all, even the grouchy old ones! I adored Max, how could anyone not feel for that man?! It just pains me so much the despair and emptiness the Jewish people must have felt when they were made out to be lesser citizens in their own countries and forced into camps and/or killed. It's one of the most appalling acts in human history.
Having death narrate the story was unique and quite touching at times. You completely forgot you were reading from death's point of view until a certain sentence threw you, such as the mention of ‘collecting souls'. There are a lot of quotable lines in death's commentary and I'm not usually one for remembering quotes so that's something. This is the first book I've actually tagged so I can revisit the sections I loved.
“I've seen so many young men over the years who think they're running at other young men. They are not. They're running at me.”
The only thing which put me off slightly was that it was a little long so the pacing was inconsistent. There were parts which didn't seem relevant then others that I just couldn't stop reading. Didn't really detract much though as the rest of the book was so good.
1 star for my effort of finishing this book (I thought it would never end) & 1 for the reason that I personally like books with the setting in World War time.
What's with the random German words throughout the whole book??
I procrastinated reading this book for a few years for obvious reasons... it's hard yet truthful.
This is one of the best books I've ever read.
I ugly cried. What felt like a never-ending stream of tears, and just when I thought I was done, I cried some more. Woke up with a sinus headache from all the crying.
Seriously, a beautiful, touching read about books, family, first love, friendship, humanity, empathy, promises, and the nature of evil – the power of words to grow seeds of good or evil.
Fast-paced, powerful, gripping and so beautifully written. I could relate to it a lot, particularly in the context of how I feel about certain ideas these days. On many levels, the narrative of the human condition described in the book can be seen all over the world today as well. I know there are many books about the holocaust but this was my first read on the topic and I really enjoyed it.
Wondering if the movie does justice to the fine story telling.
(4.5 stars.) I had no idea what this book was about or what to expect. I knew only that it was on my “film” shelf, meaning, “Read it before you watch the film based on it”—because I like reading the books first.
The Book Thief is horrible and wonderful and intense and light-hearted and cruel and compassionate, all at the same time. It's fully cognisant of a horrible time in our history without focusing solely on the horror. Through telling the story of a coming of age among lives cut short too soon, we are shown a perspective that is sympathetic more than empathetic, but still gut-wrenching.
I sobbed through a lot of it. Which naturally earns it high marks.
On the one hand I often feel I have read nearly enough books set in WWII, on the other this has been referenced and recommended all over the place. It'll squeeze your heart, but not jerk it around.
I read this ages ago, and I barely remember it! But I do know that I absolutely adored it back in 2016/2017, and I therefore have plans to re-read it.
Good, though I am a little surprised by its immense popularity. It's Holocaust fiction that focuses on a family of Righteous Gentiles trying to get by in their town amidst the rise of the Nazi party and surviving the war (rations, bombings, etc.).
The mother's nonstop verbal abuse (and occasional physical abuse) is jarring— she constantly refers to her husband and daughter as “asshole” and “bitch” respectively, and the daughter picks up this habit with her friends. But it's always written out in German, so it's somehow meant to be more endearing?
I want to type a review about how much this book broke my heart, how much I loved it, but I don't know how to find the right words.
I've known about this book for years, but never pictured myself reading it. Historical Fiction is a genre I tend to shy away from, but lately I've heard a little more about this book and I gave up resisting it. I bought it about a month ago, and I picked it up as soon as I had the chance. Going into it, I knew almost nothing about this book, just that the main character was a young girl living in Nazi Germany. And going in to it knowing nothing was part of the reason I enjoyed it much, much more than I thought I would.
This book is truly a masterpiece. And I don't know how else to put it. I don't know what words can be written to express my true feelings, to convince you to pick it up if you haven't already.
Softly, but with a lot of feelingFuck!!! This book is so SO good but reading it feels like being hit by a train emotionally!!!
This is not a fast read. This is the story of a young girl growing up in Nazi Germany. It is a book narrated by death.
I really enjoyed this book. It's not a fast read. It shows an interesting side to the war. Liesel is a small beacon of hope in a very dark time. Over the course of the book she begins to understand what's happening around her. The war, the unfair persecution. Death doesn't always focus on Liesel. At various points he follows other characters. His comments are the most interesting.
The only thing I didn't like us that he tells us of certain characters deaths very early in the story.
“Even death has a heart.”
This book is a poetry disguised as prose.
Such beautiful sentences, an unusual narrator (you don't come across death sharing his feelings every day), a phenomenal story - heartbreaking to say the least while also maintaining an air of inspiration, a brilliant depiction of History's one of the most devastating periods - living in Germany during World War II.
I cannot recommend this highly enough, people.
The Book Thief was a good book. It was not great. The entire book is hurt tremendously by the narrator. He completely, and utterly, ruins the read for me. If you want to avoid spoilers, avoid reading the chapters written solely from the narrator's point of view. The ending would be so so so powerful if it wasn't for the narrator.
Sorry for dragging this out but, seriously, a 5 star book was ruined by this. I only gave it 2 stars because the story itself was amazing.