From the Bookshelf of Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge…

The Book Thief

Markus Zusak,

Trudy White (Illustrator)

Start date: February 14, 2017

Finish date: March 8, 2017

Discussion: 2017 Read Harder Challenge

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2017 Read Harder Challenge

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What Members Thought

Aug 15, 2009 Astrid Lim rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, tragedy, world-war, europe, lovely-heroine, popsugar-2017

Reread this for Popsugar Reading Challenge and it's still awfully good! Heartbreaking, beautiful, and memorable. Death is probably one of my most favorite narrators ever!! And since this is a rereading, I can savor the story a bit more slowly, and true, it's a tearjerker indeed. ...more

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Jun 09, 2008 Shannon rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: my_favorites

Again, I'll refer to my previously written review and only add that I can't read this book without crying - even the fourth time around. It's the best book I've ever read and it inspires me.

Everything I said in my review upon my second reading of this book is true, so I'll just leave it below and note that I read The Book Thief a third time (I think this might be the only book I have ever read three times) and I love it more than I can put into words. I love Leisel. I love Rudy (and would marry Again, I'll refer to my previously written review and only add that I can't read this book without crying - even the fourth time around. It's the best book I've ever read and it inspires me.

Everything I said in my review upon my second reading of this book is true, so I'll just leave it below and note that I read The Book Thief a third time (I think this might be the only book I have ever read three times) and I love it more than I can put into words. I love Leisel. I love Rudy (and would marry him, were he not a fictional character). I love the writing and I'm inspired by it. Please, please read this book. Other thoughts from previous readings...

While I'm a big reader, I'm not a big re-reader. Even some of my favorite books are favorites based on a one-time reading. So it's highly unusual for me to re-read a book that I read less than a year ago. I did so for two main reasons: to see if I still liked it as much the second time around and to pay closer attention to Zusak's writing style since when I read it last June it left me aching to write.

I did like it as much the second time around. I simply love Liesel Meminger. She is brave, loving and kind in the worst circumstances imaginable. I want to know someone like her. I want to be like her - without all of the tragedy surrounding her. (Although even as I type that, I wonder if Liesel would be Liesel without the tragedy surrounding her.)

I tried to pay close attention to the writing and while I can't write like Zusak, I did learn some things. I think his use of Death as the narrator gives this book an emotional distance it needs. If the book is heartbreaking as it is, it would be devastating (or impossible) to read it first-person from Liesel's point of view. I also find myself pondering how Zusak gives words themselves weight, life and three-dimensionality. Words and books are a characters in The Book Thief, not just delivery vehicles.

This book is not a light read. With 50 pages left, I was crying so hard this morning that one daughter brought me kleenex while another hugged me and comforted me. But if you can stand to read Liesel's story about Nazi Germany and how words made it all possible, it is well worth it. ...more

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May 20, 2008 lisa_emily rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fictions

I cried, a lot.

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Jan 11, 2009 Molly rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, hard-issue

This is the only book I know that I tell people you have to read the first 100 pages before giving up on the book. I was extrememly moved by this book and think it is a must for someone. You need to be in the right mood to read it though. This is for Adults only.

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Apr 12, 2010 Jess rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010

I wasn't expecting this book to be as powerful as it is. It's a book of intrigue and history and emotion. Death makes an incredible, sentient narrator for this book. If this is what YA literature is like these days, I'm astounded and enthralled. I highly, highly recommend this book. ...more

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May 23, 2009 Megan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, young-adult, assigned-to-students, historical-fiction

Beautiful and heart-breaking all in one. I've read many books with WWII as the setting, but this one is unique - like nothing I've ever read before. I grew so attached to the characters that I cried on multiple occasions. (I know, ME crying...that has to tell you something!)

Update: Saw the movie and I'm reminded of how much I loved this book. I read it 4 1/2 years ago, and it's still with me. The words: it's all about the images Death (the narrator) gives us - the beauty this outsider sees in hu ...more

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Apr 27, 2010 Emilie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

An incredible book.

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Jan 26, 2010 Wendy E. rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

I listened to this. The narrator was wonderful. I hate stuff about WWII. I really liked this book. The story is staggering. I couldn't put it down. I will recommend it and Zusak's other book, I Am the Messenger (also AMAZING), to many others. ...more

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Oct 26, 2007 Laurie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

One of the best books I read this year. Narrated by Death, the story is engrossing and fresh. You really care about the the characters and are sucked completely into their world.

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