The Book Thief by Markus ZusakMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
Sometimes there are books that just don't do anything for you. You don't hate them, you don't love them, you just read it and happy to have another book read. Now it's time to move on.
I heard a lot of good things about this book. I tried really hard to Love it, but I just couldn't do anything more than like it. I wish I could give 2.5 stars. It wasn't a 2 and it wasn't quite a 3. I may have had high expectations of this book because a lot of my online book club friends raved about it. I kept waiting for that point where you can't put it down. I just wanted to finish it and move on to something new.
There wasn't anything I particularily didn't like or that I hated about this book, which I believe is why it is so hard for me to review. The only way to describe the way I feel is this: flat. There were parts of The Book Thief that I believe were meant to make the reader feel some sort of strong emotion. Fear, anxiety or sadness but it wasn't enough to make me feel those emotions strongly. I felt them, yes, but was able to just keep reading and not have the effect I believe it was supposed to have. Leisel had a hard life and a lot of horrible things and good things happened to her, but I guess it just seemed like life at that time. Those horrible things DID happen and that was the way (I believe) life was.
The fact that the story was written from the point of view of Death was interesting. I appreciated that Death was tired and busy and found humans fastinating at their deaths and how they react differently. I think I wanted more of his point of view since he was the narrator. The way the book was written and laid out made far more sense at the end of the book, and I sort of wish I would have spoiled it for myself and knew why it was laid out that way before reading it. I think I would have had a different perspective and better appreciation for it.
I think I will eventually read another one of Zusaks' books. I have I Am the Messenger on my shelf and will get to it.
WBC 2011: Historical Fiction novel about a woman - 10 Points
Book Journey 2011: Germany (updated map)
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This is the only book I have read by this author but I really enjoyed it. We reviewed it for book club and it had mixed thoughts... I cant put my finger on what I loved so much other than the love of books within this story.
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