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| The Book Thief | 
 enlarge | Author: Markus Zusak
Publisher: Black Swan
Category: Book
List Price: £7.99
Buy Used: £3.20
You Save: £4.79 (60%)
New (33) from £3.27
Avg. Customer Rating:  202 reviews
Sales Rank: 46
Media: Paperback
Pages: 560
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5 x 1.5
ISBN: 0552773891
EAN: 9780552773898
ASIN: 0552773891
Publication Date: January 1, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 A Fantastic Read September 26, 2008
I have wanted to read this book for sometime and I have to say it did not disappoint. This is a great story from a very unique perspective. Although sometimes harrowing reading, having Death narrating from a childs perspective is very interesting. I found myself laughing one minute and upset the next. You do have to concentrate on the book as it does jump from one story to another but well worth the read. I cried my eyes out at the end at the characters jump out the page and by end you feel as if you personally know them. Would highly recommend
Absolutely beautifully written September 26, 2008
I picked this book up because it was in a 3 for 2 offer and I wanted something new to get into. Initially I was unsure how well Zusak would be able to pull off writing not only Nazi Germany, but from such an unusual perspective, but he achieves it absolutely beautifully.
Set in Nazi Germany, "The Book Thief" tells the story of Liesel Meminger, an evacuee sent to live with foster parents, narrated by Death. Sounds simple enough, but events take an interesting turn when her foster parents decide to hide a Jew in their basement.
Every time I read this book I read it as slowly as possible, because the sentences are simply beautiful. Even had I not enjoyed the story itself I would still have adored Zusak's prose - some of it reads almost like poetry, so clear and strong are the images. The scenes in which Death describes his workload are stunning. Every character feels utterly real, with even Death seeming to be a living creature, and the ending makes me cry every time - for me, it is heartbreaking. I hope a film is never made based on this book, because I don't think it could do it justice.
If you are looking for something beautiful and compelling, that will stay with you long after you turn the final page, I absolutely recommend this book.
WOW ! September 22, 2008
I want to make this short and simple. Honestly... READ IT !!!!! Simply one of the best books I have read in a long while. I finished "The Book Thief" after having just taken off from Amsterdam beginning my summer Holiday to Mexico. My partner immediately swooped up the book and began reading. He is one of those power readers and by the time we reached our destination he was in awe and was not to be disturbed by the immigration officials.
Really grabs humanity and gives it a good shaking.
 Stunningly Different September 21, 2008
This book will not be to everyone's taste but let me say that I found it stunningly different from the type of book I'd usually read. Initially the narrative seems strange but equally it's immediately compelling and I loved the way Death told us the story of the book thief. It's a profoundly moving story and is even more so because of the writing style.
Childhood innocence, adult brutality, love, loss, thievery, humanity, faith and death are all here and I define anyone not to fall in love with this special little girl.
Perhaps once or twice in a lifetime does a book move you in this way - it will stay with you for days afterwards.
Not Criminal in anyway September 19, 2008
I come rather late to discovering this book, but rather glad I did. It is lovely to see a wide range of opinions across these reviews.
Here is mine; The Book Thief is a novel with a difference, a novel narrated by `Death'. It allowed me to feel that 'Death' is watching us all as we go about our lives and is ready to take our soul safely to another place, when it is our time, whenever that time may come. During the setting of this novel, World War Two; 'Death' is very busy.
It was refreshing to read a novel from a German perspective and see how they were affected by the reign of Hitler, the treatment of Jews and subsequently how the war affected ordinary Germany. Sometimes we forget that it was not just the British who lost those they loved.
'Death' narrates the story of Liesel the central character, who arrives at 33 Himmel Street her new foster family without her brother, her strength who lost his and his soul to 'Death' on the journey there. Characters all enter into Liesel's world throughout the book. Rudy the boy next door who has dreams of becoming Jesse Owens and kissing Liesel on the lips. Papa, Hans Hubermann, the accordion playing and word loving father. Mama, Rosa Hubermann, the swearing but fiercely protective mother figure. Max, the hidden Jew who fuels a young imagination of words and pictures. Ilsa Hermann the inhabitant of a big house with a big library that keeps the book thief on her toes.
The other main character to mention is 'the book'. Liesel uses her first book she steals, a guide to grave digging to start her interest in words, books and reading. Her new Papa, helps her through her nightmares and reads and teaches Liesel to appreciate the book and the words. Liesel then continues this education with other books she acquires or others acquire for her. Max even creates a book for her, from his hiding place using painted over copies of Mein Kampf. A very bold move making a very bold statement which stayed with me throughout this book. The solace sought in books and words I can connect with, as it was Liesel's escapism of her world around her but also her salvation as the war ravages further into her life.
Zusak's different slant on this novel had me hooked from the beginning. Do not expect a nice simple book separated into chapters. Expect nothing and you will get so much from this book. It does take some getting used to and as 'Death' narrates he/she jumps backwards and forwards a lot and you have to keep an element of concentration on the storyline. In the end though, it is a book that leaves you thinking about so much; what books can do for you, how death affects us all, how war touches so many people in so many ways and so much more.
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