I was concerned about having my children read this book do to its subject matter, so I read it first along with my 84 year old aunt. We both absolutely loved the story! The narrator is “death” but not any death that I had ever heard of before this wonderful book. It came as such a surprise to me that while and after reading this book death wasn’t scary! Death wasn’t out to get us, death is a part of life. Death in this story is respectful, thoughtful and just there to guide us on our way. It’s a beautiful story of strength, compassion, resistance and the resilience of the human spirit during the worst of times. I truly believe that this book should absolutely be required reading for all!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I bought this for our Book Club selection this month and was a little skeptical because it's considered a Young Adult Fiction, and lately our bookclub has picked a few lame easy read books so it was a very pleasant surprise to get a Y.A. book that you can really dig your teeth into on so many different levels, and given the subject matter, it's surprisingly a page turner as well. My guess is that this will be the new millennium's "Anne Frank" and will be required reading for high school students, and that's a good thing - it's got something for everyone -- teenagers and adults alike. It's written beautifully, creatively, narrated by Death himself, and the message is so sweet and pure; it's all about love and kindness vs. evil. Like Ursala Hegg's "Stones From the River," it anecdotally illustrates how Nazi Germany got so out of hand. I don't want to give anything away, so suffice to say, pick this book up and you'll not put it down till you're finished.Read full review
This is a story a true story in Germany at the time of the second world war and Hitler was at his worse deporting jews to concentration camps and raising hell with his own people until the allies came and bombed select towns , The girl, Leisel was a subject that would steel books and when she was caught at it by the owner she was given some books and then the bombs came down in her town the grim reaper was there and took he intire family and level the neiborhood she was found in a bombed out basement still alive she live about 6 months after and then the grim reaper took her A magnificent story of life in Gemany at WW11 great reading
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I purchased this book because it was recommended to me by a relative, who said it would be a good summer read. The title intrigued me, as books are a passion of mine. When I began reading it, I could not put it down! I was mesmerized by the poetic turn of phrase in the author's style of writing, AND by the use of "Death" as the main voice, or narrator, of the story. Many times I found myself reading back over a phrase, simply for the enjoyment of its images and metaphor. In addition to the pure enjoyment of the language, the story is thoroughly captivating. You care about the people in this book. I learned so much about Nazi Germany from the viewpoints of ordinary citizens who did not support Nazi operations, and, particularly, through the eyes of a young German girl who develops a friendship with a young Jewish man when her family decides to offer him shelter. Through it all, the message of the power of words came through -- how words can be used to change lives and to change situations from unbearable to hopeful. This is not a replica of The Diary of a Young Girl. The girl in this story is not in hiding. She moves about the community freely and belongs to one of the Nazi Youth organizations, but her heart is not in it. What she accomplishes is truly amazing! It's a truly beautiful story, and one I'd recommend heartily!Read full review
The Book Thief is one of the most powerful books that I've ever read. Zusak's refreshing and sensory-soaked use of language is poetic and deeply moving. The story is about a young girl who comes of age in Nazi Germany. She shares life (and life-giving words) with her foster parents, a boy named Rudy (Who is her best friend and desperately wants a kiss:), a Jewish man who's hidden in her basement, and her neighbors that huddle together in air raid shelters as Allied bombs screech down from the sky. If you read this book, be prepared to have your heart scratched raw. Then, as the narrator speaks his last words, be ready to yearn for more.
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