The Book Thief

Comment: I had been told by a blogging friend that this book was amazing. It lingered on my TBR list for a while until my book club offered it as a choice for next month. As I wasn't thrilled with the other offerings, I was quite vocal in my desire that this be selected as our next book. I am so glad I spoke up so forcefully on the side of this book (seriously, the others were dull). This book is simply brilliant. It will move you in ways you never expected and surprise you in both good and bad ways. When I first started reading it, I was confused. The first few chapters were weird to me because they were unlike anything I had read in the past (which is part of the beauty of this book). The fact that Death is telling the story and can be quite funny at times (although often in unintentional ways), is sheer genius. Death has a way with words that draws you in and lulls you. The words become more than words. They paint a picture; comfort you; surprise you. You know early on what is going to happen to many of the characters, as Death is very straight up about these things, and you don't want to believe some of it, and in reading, you often forget. When you do remember, as Death likes to remind you of upcoming events, or read the actual events you are somehow surprised, saddened and angered. The characters are well fleshed out and you will fall in love with almost every one of them for different reasons. They show you the life of Germans during WWII. While Nazi's are obviously featured in the book, they are not the focus of it, other than how their actions affect the average citizen. These are not bad people, but people doing what they must to survive and maintain some sort of normalcy in a very un-normal time. These characters have depth is ways some writers can only dream of.
I loved this book so much I ordered my own copy (the one I read came from the library) so I can read it again at my leisure and sent a copy to my dad as a gift. This will now be at the top of my gift giving list for readers. I hate that in the US it's marketed as YA because I'm afraid a lot of people will skip over it. I would certainly not consider this typical YA fare. Yes, high schoolers could (and should) read it, but the appeal of this book extends far beyond the teen years. Simply put, you MUST read this book. You will not regret it.

Comment: -The Book Thief_ is my new favorite book to recommend, the best book I've read since Patchett's _Run_. I loved the two books-within-a-book, complete with illustrations. I also loved the way the narrator interrupts the narrative to comment and to foreshadow; thus we are prepared for many sad happenings and left with an overall positive view of the world, even in its most horrific times. Kindness conquers.

The choice of narrator is a brilliant surprise, which expands as the book goes along. This author seems to be known as a write of fiction for young adults, but this book should move him into mainstream literature.

Comment: This is a very moving book. The author is quite poetic, many beautiful phrases.
An interesting concept in that the book is written by "death". But that is not a depressing concept in the way that it is presented.

Comment: I read this as a bookclub pick and while the beginning feels a little slow it is well worth finishing. To quote a friend "It makes you feel".

Kindle version - no editing/formating issues

Comment: This book worked for me on several levels: simple yet captivating prose, memorable characters and scenes, a story that is at once grim, hopeful and oddly whimsical, and a truly unique narrator (Death). It conveys not only the well-known horrors of Nazi Germany but also the many levels of victimhood that dominate all parts of a society at war. The Book Thief should appeal to thoughtful teens as well as adults.