I read The Hunger Games Trilogy in the same month as The Book Thief. I planned on reading the latter, not the former, and for a moment I thought I blew it. After The Hunger Games, I didn’t know if I could handle another book on death, dying, and children. In a panic, I read something fluffy before reading about the F�hrer. I can’t remember what I read, so I suppose that means it did its job.
I shouldn’t have worried, at least not too much. Collins and Zusak both write about a world gone to hell, but they sit on opposite sides of the battlefield. While The Hunger Games decries the destruction of the masses and points at broken pieces left behind, The Book Thief affirms the humanity of the individual and uncovers pockets of beauty and normalcy among the rubble. To paraphrase Death, I like that.
I like that while bombs loom overhead, people listen to murder mysteries down below.
I like that during a time of hate, a little girl learns to love.
I like that the narration is like war. The surprise is not in the outcome, but in the timing. We all have the same ending.
I like that we can’t stop being human, even when we try, and that boys will always think of ways to kiss girls.
(Oh, Rudy. You lemon-haired saukerl. I adore you and I miss you.)
I liked all that and more about The Book Thief.
The book started slowly, waiting for me to adapt to Death as a narrator. It took me a while, about 159 pages. For most people, pages 30-40. My pacing was off. I was accustomed to stories laid out like clean towels. Easy to see, folded neatly. This was different, like hunting for matching socks in a deep drawer. They’re there, but they’ll take effort to find. Two weeks later, I reread the beginning and didn’t have the same problem. Socks on a silver platter.
I almost deleted that entire paragraph out of shame, but since I used laundry as a simile (hence, the shame) I figured I could also use it to clumsily segue into what I liked most about The Book Thief: the characters.
I loved every last one of them, even Rosa Hubermann. Especially Rosa Hubermann.
I could go on, but I won’t since I prefer to share more in the comments. What did you think of The Book Thief? Any favorites passages? I have several. Too many, really. At first I flagged the pages with writing I admired, but it became ridiculous. I faced the risk of using every last post-it in the county. I stopped at page 111, where Death contemplates heil Hiltering.
Many jocular comments followed, as did another onslaught of “heil Hitlering.” You know, it actually makes me wonder if anyone ever lost an eye or injured a hand or wrist with all of that. You’d only need to be facing the wrong way at the wrong time or standing marginally too close to another person. Perhaps people did get injured. Personally, I can only tell you that no one died from it, or at least, not physically.
I will have more to say later, but I wanted to add that I too had trouble with it at first. There didn’t seem to be a flow and I didn’t know what the POINT was. I thought (at first) the interjections by Death were contrived. Rachel (the 14yo) told me to stick with it – that it got better after Max came – don’t know how many pages in that is but it’s definitely more than 30-40, so it took a good piece for me to buy in. Max seemed to give the story a focus – he became central to the three family members, of course, but somehow even to the ones who didn’t know about him. And once he was there I was completely in, even (especially) with Death who might have been my favorite character. He and Rosa.
As a Holocaust book (whatever that really is) it didn’t have as much an impact on me as it did on my daughters – I’ve read so many that there is really nothing in a novel that could shock or pain me any more than the reality does. (Except, as I’ve mentioned before, Sophie’s Choice which I will never ever read.) I thought it was interesting that the author didn’t initially plan to place a story about a book thief in this setting – I can’t really imagine it now in any other.
For someone who was going to say more later and not much now, I sure had a lot to say! Thanks for getting me to read this – it’s been in the “stack” for quite a while.
Funny that you mention Sophie’s Choice. I have never seen the movie nor read the novel. But, once (probably 20 years ago) someone told me what it was about and it has haunted me ever since. That’s all it took. It pops up every so often to torment me, more frequently now that I have two small children, a boy and a girl. Most recently just yesterday.
Jen – it sat on my bookshelf for years. Finally I realized I would never ever read it. I have two daughters and yes, having them made it MUCH worse to think about.
I have never read Sophie’s Choice or watched the movie. What is it about? Wasn’t it a career starter for Meryl Streep?
It was and I think it has something to do with a woman having to choose between her children. Ugh – I can barely type the words without feeling sick.
THAT WAS THE CHOICE?! Ugh.
Sophies choice was one of the best books I’ve read in my life in spite of the awful choice. It was incredibly well written. Don’t deny yourself if you love to read. The book is based on the “choice” but as I recall it is really the aftermath of the choice.
Jeanne, I will put it on my To-Read list.
The movie was astounding. I saw it once, as a teen, and it stayed with me. Etched itself on my brain. Not sure I could watch it again, but I have considered reading the book.
I enjoyed The Book Thief much more than Hunger Games; I didn’t even read the second and third books in that series. I thought that the disjointedness of the narrative reflected the disjointedness of the world at that time. This novel should help “young adults” – high schoolers – understand, at least a little, how the regular people in towns near the concentration camps could “ignore” what was happening.
I enjoyed it better than Hunger Games, but I think Hunger Games ruined part of the enjoyment for me. With Hunger Games, the action was so fast paced, so relentless, that I felt like I didn’t have time to breathe. The Book Thief was more melodic, slower paced. I had to remind myself that this book wasn’t boring or poorly written–it was me.
I’m a big fan of reading what captures the interest of a nation because I think it reflects the culture at the time. The Book Thief was very popular seven years ago when it was first released, long before Hunger Games and just before the Twilight phenomenon started. It’s also before Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and most blogs. It’s interesting to see how our tastes have changed. We have become accustomed to short, fast, to the point/always on the go. I don’t think The Book Thief would do as well if it were released today. Or, I don’t know, maybe it would as a salve.
Having said all that, sometimes a book doesn’t connect with a person, and that’s okay. For me, though, it was a case of having to adjust my expectations to make it work. Kind of a disconcerting reflection of my lifestyle, honestly.
I particularly liked the Huberman characters. I was so relieved that this wasn’t a wicked stepmother (fostermother) book.
Ugh. ME TOO. Funny, a lot of the reviews characterize Rose Hubermann as a wicked stepmother, and I don’t think that could be further from the truth. A wicked stepmother doesn’t take in an orphan or hide a Jew in the basement. Also, I don’t think a man like Hans would be with a woman who wasn’t kind and compassionate.
“Also, I don’t think a man like Hans would be with a woman who wasn’t kind and compassionate.” I was thinking the same thing all throughout the book! What brought these two together. Then, finally, near the end it is explained. Hans tells Leisel that she hasn’t always been this way, that she used to be quiet and loving, as hard as it may be to imagine. At that point, I understood how they came to be together, but was faced with another brain teaser – what happened that led her to become so cranky and loud?
One thing I didn’t mention in my post…Although this is a holocaust story, I didn’t see it as such. I read it more as a coming of age tale that happened to occur in Nazi Germany. Coming of age tale isn’t quiet right, either, but I can’t think of another way to describe it. I’ve read Anne Frank, Elie Wiesel/Night, and this book doesn’t tell the same story. Of course, Frank and Wiesel were nonfiction accounts from a Jewish perspective.
I did think it was a good reminder for me of all the people who suffered and died as a result of Hitler’s actions.
“The book started slowly, waiting for me to adapt to Death as a narrator. It took me a while, about 159 pages. For most people, pages 30-40.” When I was a younger reader, I gave books at least 50 pages before I decided it wasn’t for me. Lately, if the first page, paragraph or even sentence doesn’t draw me in, I usually put it aside for another book. I’m not sure why. Age? The internet? I just could not adapt to Death as a narrator. Instead, I read The Leopard, by Jo Nesbo. Hey, it’s translated from Norwegian!
I followed a link from my twitter stream last week to an article on why adults shouldn’t read YA fiction. I was prepared to think the author of the article should mind his own business about what people read, but I think he had a point. I realized it has been a long time since I have really challenged myself with a book. So this weekend I started David Copperfield and Crime and Punishment. I will probably stick with Crime and Punishment. I read most of Crime and Punishment back in high school ( or was it The Brothers Karamotzov?). I think this year, along with the new books I find at the library, I will go back and read the books I read for school and probably didn’t fully appreciate or understand.
So, long story short, I didn’t read The Book Thief, but not reading it has helped to inspire me to challenge myself more when choosing a book.
I want the link to that article!
I used to wait, too. This is what we have become. It’s the same thing with TV shows. Seinfeld took two years to catch on. TWO YEARS. Can you imagine, in this day and age, a network allowing a show two years to find it’s groove? Never.
As for challenges, I completely hear where you are coming from. A while back I read a book from my Unread Library–Persuasion–and it inspired me to push myself when it comes to my reading material. I haven’t read from the Unread Library as consistently as I would like, but every time I do I feel so good about myself. This is the post where I discuss that feeling, and it’s one of my favorite posts I’ve written. You’ve reminded me of that feeling and have inspired me to tuck into my classics again. Thank you for that, truly.
Here’s the link to the original piece: http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/03/28/the-power-of-young-adult-fiction/adults-should-read-adult-books
and this is the original link that I clicked on:http://blogs.babble.com/babble-voices/heather-spohr-more-spohr/2012/03/31/reading-your-age/
That’s it – Pride and Prejudice is next. I did read it a million years ago but I am going to read it again And now I know the secret – approach it like law school! :) Although for me its highlighters – and only the yellow ones, please. They do exactly what you said – slow me down and make me think about what’s important in the sentence I am reading.
I just did this with David Copperfield. Dickens’ sentences are so long and winding and I really want to digest them and not just gobble them up. It’s so worth the effort though. Look at this description of the meek Dr. Chillip ” It is nothing to say that he hadn’t a word to throw at a mad dog. He might have offered him one gently, or half a one, or a fragment of one…”
I have started Pride and Prejudice three times in the last year. Grrr. I read Austen and the Brontes as a teenager, I should certainly be able to read them now!
I thought the article was inflammatory, but this coupled with a tweet I read of @doorsixteen over the weekend, I’m feeling inspired and my mind is whirling. Thinking.
A chuckle escaped me when I read your comment – simply because I had preemptively checkout out Pride and Prejudice and Zombies as my “palate cleanser” for after The Book Thief. I’ve never read, nor had any desire to read, Pride and Prejudice only because I don’t generally care for the romance genre. I can count on one hand how many books I’ve read which were classified as “romance”. Maybe this is one I should have made the exception on?
This is my favorite story I’ve read as an adult. I love this book so much that I joke Mr. Zusak owes me royalties for all the copies I’ve bought for people and/or recommended.
I never re-read books. I just never feel I have the time when there is SO much else out there to read. But every other year or so, I make time for this. And amazingly, the writing becomes that much better with each new read. It’s one of the most beautiful, lyrical books I’ve ever read. And Rudy…damn that kid. Right up there with him is Max. His book? Within the book? Gut-wrenching. In all Holocaust books out there (and there’s aplenty) I found this one to be so refreshing — both in its perspectives and its subject material.
Glad you loved it too!
Refreshing is a good word to describe the book’s perspective. The Standover Man about killed me.
The Standover Man brought tears to my eyes. The Word Shaker is what twisted my heart though.
I�ve never considered WWII from the German civilian perspective. My Scottish grandmother occasionally told stories of the war, the nightly blackening of the windows, the evitable sirens and then seeking shelter in the Glasgow train stations during the bomb raids. To this day, my grandmother bristles at Germany. Warmongerers is the word she uses and who am I to tell her she�s wrong? She was born in 1921 in the shadows of WWI and saw life as she knew it evaporate in the bombings of WWII. Later, in 1948, she, my grandfather and their young family immigrated to America because there was nothing left in Scotland. However, now that I�ve read this book, I feel as though another conversation with Gram is order, one that discusses how complicated people are, how complicated Germany is/was. After all, in the midst of horrendous German atrocities, here were these regular German families who were so likable. I wondered at length what the author�s background is and what his personal WWII story is. Does anyone know? And, did he have to wipe out the entire block? Couldn�t at least one family/friend survive? I was so devastated for Liesl that she had to lose everyone. Again. But then I thought of Max and figured that was the point — that everyone loses in war.
Yes, I know! The story about the bread/subsequent beating is a true story told to him by his grandparents. He wanted to make a novella out of it, but obviously the story grew a mind of its own. It took him over three years to write. He is a first generation Australian of German descent. From the various articles I have pieced together, he wanted to add another perspective to the Nazi Germany news reals that everyone sees. Like you said, Susan, regular German families who hated Hitler and lived in fear. I think–but I’m not sure–that the wiping out of the block was party of history, too. At least, it’s quite possible seeing how close to Munich he had the city.
When I don’t read book jackets, or netflix movie summaries, I end up watching the movie ‘The Debt” just as I finish the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and right before I start reading “The Book Thief.” I hadn’t planned on reading/ watching that much about Nazi/Hitler and the aftermath of, especially not in one weekend. Fortunately all three could not be more different from each other and so my heart soon warmed to the Book Thief.
It took me a while to find a flow when reading Death as the narrator. I think it’s because in the first few chapters there is so much talk of colors and the colors death sees. It felt metaphor heavy and I wasn’t sure where the story could possibly be going. (Did anyone else notice that colors weren’t really brought up much again, or tied in throughout the story? Or did I miss something).
Soon though, I was so swept up in the characters and the stories and the connections that I had a hard time putting the book down.
A few of my favorite sentences:
….”A definition not found in the Dictionary: Not Leaving: an act of trust and love, often deciphered by children.”
…”Burning words were torn from their sentences”
…”The point is, Ilsa Hermann had decided to make suffering her triumph. When it refused to let go of her, she succumbed to it. She embraced it.”
Also I so very much loved the books Max created. They were so heartwrenching and to see the text from “Mein Kampf” bleeding through…. Loved it. Definitely not a book I would have ordinarily picked up, but now it’s one I want to reread.
I don’t have the book in front of me, but one of my favorite lines/parts had to do with Liesl and Rudy discussing Hans Hubermann and Alex Steiner being drafted into the German army. Liesl said she had a tired heart, and at 13, she’s too young to have a tired heart. I can only imagine what her heart felt like by the end of the book.
I loved it when Rudy plucked the book out of the freezing water an when he comforted Liesel the day she mentioned her brother’s death.
One of my favorite “excerpt” type parts was Leisel’s correction of the definition of “silence”: �Silence was not quite or calm, and it was not peace.�
I too appreciated the departure from the stereotypically cruel foster parents. The Hubermans were the best part of this book. Oh, and Rudy! Even though Death warned us in advance, I was still choking back tears when he…you know (are we allowed to spoil here?). I was also charmed by, and felt compassion for, Death. Far from being delighted by WWII, he was just doing his job.
I have to add that I was distracted by the author’s photo on the book flap. I thought he looked too young to write a book like this. Totally threw me off, and I don’t think I fully trusted him until halfway through. Weird. Does anyone else do this?
He was born in 1975. It took him three years to write it and was thirty when it was published. So, yes, he was quite young at the time! (Still is, actually.)
Confession time: I didn’t finish the book. Which actually isn’t that bad…when you find out I didn’t even start the book….which also isn’t so bad when you find out I didn’t even buy the book until Saturday. Yes, Saturday, March 31.
It took me a LONG TIME (well…all of March) to come to terms with the idea of reading anything Young Adult.
In my hometown library, the Children & YA books were on the main floor, and adult fiction (plus 100% of nonfiction/reference) was on the second floor. If you were under 15, you had to pass a reading test, given by the librarians, to be able to check out adult books. They wanted to make sure that you were capable of understanding what you were reading (and, also, when there are 5 copies of new releases, they don’t want some kid hoarding it for two weeks, unable to crack it!).
I passed the reading test when I was 11, and it was such a source of pride for me, to get that permission sticker on my library card.
Since then, I have never gone back to YA. I haven’t read any of the Harry Potter books, I haven’t read Hunger Games, I haven’t read Twilight. I just think that there are so many adult books out there I want to read, I have no reason to read YA.
Truthfully, the only reason I even picked up the book was because of a member of my Classics Book Club. He ONLY reads Non-Fiction, and has refused to read every single book we’ve selected because it’s Fiction…but he can’t suggest any Non-Fiction Classic books (old encyclopedias, maybe? Hahaha!). He just quit the club, and was all huffy about the fact that “every member of the club needs to take refuge in the MAKE BELIEVE, while he FIRMLY LIVES IN THE REAL WORLD.” Um, okay….overreact much??
Anyway, I don’t want to be like him, and I think it’s important for book club members to read as many of the selections as they possibly can…and if YA is going to be every second or third selection, that’s a lot of books to sit out.
Sometimes, books are challenging because they are difficult- whether it’s a convoluted plot or a strange translation or advanced vocabulary. But sometimes books are challenging because they require us to look at the rules we have set for ourselves, and consider how strictly we need to enforce those rules.
I still firmly believe that, with the enormous selection of adult fiction and non-fiction out there, we do not need to consider anything YA, and we could run this club every month until the Internet dies. But that decision has been made democratically, so from now on I will stop my pouting and just do it. If you only read classic books, picking up a Sophie Kinsella on the way to the beach isn’t going to turn your brain to swiss cheese (and this is coming from someone who attempted Anna Karenina on the beach in Hawaii, before giving up and grabbing a trashy novel from the nearest Barnes & Noble!). Likewise, reading a YA book here and there is not going to cause me to revert back to junior high. And, it’s not like the librarians are going to hunt me down and strip me of my permission sticker (yes, I STILL have that card, and they will have to pry it out of my cold, dead hands! Hahahahaha!).
So, unfortunately, I have nothing to contribute to the discussion. Next time I will, I promise!!
Kat, I completely understand your reticence regarding young adult literature. I was curious to see if you would read it and what you thought of it. If it helps, I picked this one because it was published as adult literature everywhere else. Only in the states was it considered young adult, and that’s because a few of the main characters were children.
I’m not sure if we will alternate YA and general fiction every other month. I’m not a fan of YA, so trying to find something that captures my interest has been difficult. From what I have seen on Goodreads, most adult fans of YA are reading paranormal, fantasy, and other niche genres I don’t want to explore–at least not now. Everything is dystopian and there is usually a magical component involved. Oh, and it’s part of a series. I think Markus Zusak and John Greene are exceptions to this. They may be categorized as young adult, but they are no Suzanne Collins or Stephenie Meyer.
I agree we could easily get by on just adult fiction. But, the challenge has been fun, and I do enjoy reading something I normally wouldn’t.
I am so jealous that you are part of a classics book club. I would have loved to form a Western Canon club, but that got the least votes of all. And I completely get it! They take longer to read, and most people work or lead very busy lives. They use reading to unwind and escape and, like you said, sometimes a trashy novel is what works. Who knows, maybe I’ll form my one club of one. :D
I got confused reading these comments about YA because, yes, in Ireland it is adult.
If only for ‘The Standover Man’ this book has earned a place on my bookshelf
I still have 88 glorious pages left to read and I relish this little pause. So far, one of my favorite parts of the book are the books that Max wrote and drew for Liesel. “All my life, I’ve been scared of men standing over me.” I have already gone back several times to those words and drawings. This book will be with me for awhile.
I read this a few years ago, but it still remains one of my favorite novels. It did take a couple of attempts to get into, though, so I would urge those who are struggling to keep reading. It’s so worth it.
Like Burbhappy, I’m also wondering if Zusak wanted to jolt the readers out of their comfortable reality and force them to struggle with the disjointed, incomprehensible story of war, just like the characters struggle with their world. The Book Thief focuses so much on reading, writing, books and the power of words, it would make sense for the narrative itself to mirror some of the confusion of the times.
My favorite parts are also when Max white-washes and re-writes Mein Kampf, turning ugly propaganda into beautiful art, the bread incident, which shows so much humanity during impossible circumstances, and the epilogue (just beautiful and haunting). I found the stories of “regular Germans” who tried in their own way to resist the Nazis so interesting and, to use Gail’s words, refreshing. I like how Zusak doesn’t simplify Hans, Rosa or Liesel, but creates wonderfully complex, flawed, and yet lovable, characters.
And I don’t really consider this novel young adult. My pre-teen and teenage kids aren’t mature enough to understand and appreciate this book (and I’ve tried), but I hope they will read it one day.
I’ll be back to add my thoughts. But wanted to say this book is on the summer reading list for those entering 9th grade at our school. I think with guidance it would be appropriate for that age. My 7th grader is reading The Hiding Place which seems to be a good introduction to WW2 literature. (I’m glad they are starting with a true story!)
And we shouldn’t be quick to discount ya or juv fiction – in many cases simpler is better. And that genre has classics too – Little House, Anne of GG. I would happily read a ya classic over some of the latest adult fiction. If we are talking about contemporary ya then we shouldn’t bother comparing it to classics. And compared to the majority of contemporary fiction…well, ya mirrors the fast food tastes of the adults. Not ideal, but consumer driven, which as you already pointed out doesn’t say much for us and our habits.
I agree. I hope I don’t sound like I’m discounting YA fiction. Like I mentioned above, there are certain authors (Zusak, Greene, et al) who write well, regardless of genre. C.S. Lewis wrote Chronicles of Narnia–a young adult series–and I can’t imagine who would discredit it as an important piece of literature.
That NY Times article brought up an interesting point, but I found most of it inflammatory. He has a book to sell, and his byline received a lot of eyes. Mission accomplished. What he only touched upon, unfortunately, is that more often than not, we don’t read at our level. It’s what I spoke of at length in the old post I linked to in the comments.
I met Marcus Zusak when he came to speak to students at the school where I work. Apart from The Book Thief being a fantastic, intense read, he is obviously so inspired by and passionate about his writing and ability to connect with readers. He drew the students in and they just loved him.
This book gave me a whole new outlook on a historical event that my brain defaults to a fluffy place, because it can’t handle brutal humanity. It placed humor in the darkest moments, and made them easier to comprehend. It is one of my all time favorite books now. I think it should be replaced in schools for the Anne Frank diaries that I read as a teen, to give a better, more culturally current take on the Holocaust times.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Jules!
I didn’t have time to re-read for the book club, but I will tell you that it also took me a LONG time to get into this book – months, probably, of picking up the book and putting it back down. I remember enjoying it once I did finish, but feeling almost immediately like I’d have to read it again in order to really get it. Which is a feeling I usually reserved for hefty, complex, “classic-y” books.
Also, not sure if this is true for schools around you, but this book has entered the curriculum at my high school alma mater – two of my younger sisters read this for 10th grade English. From what I remember it has replaced A Separate Peace?
I also took about 50 pages to warm up to The Book Thief; Death�s narration at the beginning felt disjointed. But eventually I very much enjoyed the shifting perspectives of the book, from Death�s omniscience to the humans� limited vision. I liked the sense of framing, too–a story within a story within another story, like looking into a series of mirrors. The structure really enhanced the moral complexity of the book, how choices are never black and white, but just infinite shades of gray that are often impossible to distinguish. I liked following Liesel�s growth as she learns that many of the people she imagined one way (the mayor�s wife, Frau Holtzapfel, even Rosa) are so much more complex, and deserving of her kindness.
I am so glad I read this book. Although I think it�s an appropriate and enlightening choice for younger readers, I find the YA label so limiting. Good writing can be found in every section of the library, and sometimes the categories feel so arbitrary. (Check out another NYT article about the label �Women�s Fiction�: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/01/books/review/on-the-rules-of-literary-fiction-for-men-and-women.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=meg%20wolitzer&st=cse)
What a relief that others took so long to get into this book! I’ve started it three times and could never get going before I had exhausted my library renewals. I think I will have to give it another try. I seem to read multiple books concurrently, and I recall starting Neil Gaiman’s “The Graveyard Book” around the same time as “The Book Thief.” The death theme is central in “Graveyard” as well so perhaps I had my fill of the morbid after finishing one story (another great young adult book, by the way).
I enjoyed reading the comments about whether adults should read young adult literature. Personally I am so enamored with books and ideas that I couldn’t imagine excluding reading material categorically, but I do see how reading this genre exclusively could be intellectually limiting. Interested to hear your thoughts on this, Jules. Tell us more about the “inflammatory” article. (I haven’t read it yet myself.)
FYI, I love the idea of a Western canon book club (or the canon as a source for possible books).
I am a little late to join the discussion, but Jules, this is SO interesting! I have read The book thief last year. I bought it in Germany (I am Dutch, with a German mother) and in the bookstore where I bought it, it wasn’t in the YA-department. I think it was on the bestseller’s table. A good thing, as I don’t normally browse the YA- books. :-)
I loved the book, and found it historically realistic. My mother’s family lived in the eastern part of Germany before and during the war. They were anti-Nazi and they were bullied all the years of the Nazi-regime. (Two small examples, for who might be interested: my great-grandfather was sent to concentration camp because of ONE remark to a non-confidant. My grandmother, in her late twenties at the time, was thrown in prison for giving the convicts at her and my grandfathers farm too much to eat, namely the same as the German workers on the farm.) They were/are catholics.
I am excited to see which books you’ll come up with this year for the book club!
Back from a short vacation, but still wanted to chime in late! I also had a hard time beginning the book and feeling really “immersed” and invested in the story/characters. I realized that it wasn’t until Max is introduced that it really took off. I’m so glad, because in the end, I did feel very immersed and involved. I really loved all the characters (wanted more of the mayor’s wife); still feel a little iffy about Death as narrator. It/He comes across as a bit glib and simplistic to me, but then again, that could be the YA element of the story?
I’m another lonely vote for the Great Canon of classics; ashamed of all I haven’t yet tackled. But so far, so good in the choices, and looking forward to the foodie book next. Maybe we call all take photos of recipes we attempt. ;-)
I feel so inept reading through other comments!! I love it, though, it’s like a real book club. I usually don’t have much to say until things get going. So many beautiful words in this story – the language – the characters. I loved them all – so likeable and so human. It didn’t feel like YA to me, but I know of so many moving and inspiring books classified as YA. As a former teacher and mother, I love being moved by and seeing how literature and words can move others – remove them from their own experience into someone else’s.
I’m wondering about my almost 12 yo reading this one. I can’t decide. Likewise about the Hunger Games, which unfortunately most of her friends are reading b/c of the movie – I’d like to think she’ll get so much more out of it when she’s older. Her friends are using my email acct (she doesn’t have one of her own) to email her things like “Peeta rules!” Really? I’m not sure people are getting the meat out of either the books or the movie.)
Anway, I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Wonderful and I read like an addicted woman – lucky for me we were on vacation! (Also, once I started reading about Leisel I was hooked – but not before.)
I’m very late joining the discussion – but not as late as I would have been had I contributed to Rules Of Civility. I finally got my turn on the hold list at my library on March 28th. I really found it hard to want to pick it up and read, and so it took a long time (18 days!) to get through it. I would put it off every day, but once I finally did start reading I would enjoy what I read.
I really liked the relationships between each person and Leisel. My favorite characters were Leisel, Hans & Rosa, Max, and the mayor’s wife. All the other characters came in second and impossible for me to rank. The story definitely picked up once Max was introduced. I would venture to say I enjoyed his separate stories more so than the story they were introduced within.
I also liked that it was telling the story of Nazi Germany from the average/poor German family point of view. It’s easy (for me anyway) to forget that war leaves its marks on both sides – and often times, even the side that “started it” isn’t unanimous in believing it necessary.
I didn’t care for the way most of the side stories were told though. It seemed like the author was trying to force emotion into the story. I also didn’t care for some of the descriptions given by Death – but that’s merely a personal preference. I think, reading this after Rules Of Civility, I wanted lyrical descriptions to be – well – better. Instead they just fell flat for me.
In then end, I enjoyed the overall story and the characters. I gave it 3/5 stars on Goodreads.
Totally snagged you medicine cabinet organization system (we are also kitchen physicians) and was feeling so grateful, as it’s working awesomely and my hard-to-please, clutter-phobic husband loved it on first site when usually he takes a little warming up to new ideas AND THEN I saw your entry about The Book Thief and realized that I’m in love with you. This is one of my all time favorite books, my sister-in-law had to read it for school and begged me to read it because she had loved it so much and had already read it about 4 times at that point. I actually did it as an audio book, which I really recommend to anyone who may have given it up because of the difficulty of getting into it. It made me laugh and sob out loud. I read it about a year ago, and NEVER reread books, but I really think I might give this one another go, as I kind of miss the characters, ESPECIALLY Rosa.
I love the adult conversation about a YA book. I teach this book to my 9th grade honors English class. They love it, but many have already read it by the time they get to me. It also took me a while to get into it, but am glad I did. I always tell my students (and adults who are reading it), to bear with it until they “get” it.