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THE BOOK THIEF....WHAT DID YOU THINK?!!!

13 replies

whispywhisp · 14/07/2009 11:19

Recently finished this book. Absolutely loved it. Cried at the end. Amazing book - never read anything like this. Narrated all the way thru. Weird, interesting, moving, in places funny, a real page turner.....

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blissa · 14/07/2009 12:33

It took me a while to get into it, but once I got going I found it a very good read. I really believed in the main character Liesel (sp?) and was also very sad when he friend died at the end! I said on another thread that I enjoyed it, but I don't think that was quite the right word.

Certainly was a bit different reading a book from 'deaths' perspective, and I think it's incredible that the author was only 11!

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Comewhinewithme · 14/07/2009 12:36

I loved it only book that has made me cry .

I couldn't put it down and loved that death was narrating it .

The bit that sticks with me is when death describes carrying souls from the roofs of the gas chambers .

I know a lot of people hated the story though but for me it was wonderful .

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MrsMcCluskey · 14/07/2009 12:38

ooh I have just got thsi ffrom Amazon am starting it later!

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TAFKAtheUrbanDryad · 14/07/2009 12:38

Couldn't finish it. Dull dull dull.

Sorry. It is possible my brain has atrophied.

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whispywhisp · 14/07/2009 14:02

I can't post much about this book because of MrsMcCluskey's post...(she's just bought it!) but it has to be one of the most oddest books I've ever read - I can appreciate some people found it boring/dull but the fact it was narrated the whole way thru was so peculiar and it was as if I was sat with the narrator watching and listening to the story unfold.

When my Dad died (almost 5yrs ago) I can remember saying that as soon as he died (he died suddenly of a heart attack at home) and hit the floor his sole was taken away - I am not the slightest bit religious but what I saw lying on the floor at his home was not my Dad - he had already gone....

Reading this book confirmed those thoughts that I had on that awful day.

I didn't know what to think when I started reading this book - I'd heard so many good things said about it/read reviews and even when DH bought it at Waterstones for me the woman who served him said she couldn't put it down either!

I think its a love/hate book - and I loved it.

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ReallyReally · 14/07/2009 14:13

The narrator was 11?

That's not right surely

a very old 11 www.randomhouse.com/features/markuszusak/author.html

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blissa · 14/07/2009 14:25

Can't make that link work ReallyReally.

Thought I'd read it on another thread, maybe I'm wrong

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blissa · 14/07/2009 14:30

Infact thinking about it properly, I'm definately wrong

The post I read said that the narrator (not author)was 11, but the narrator was death, not the 11 year old girl.

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SouthernMeerkat · 15/07/2009 14:10

I have just had to read it for book group, and was immensely disappointed with it. Everyone raves about it so much, and I just found it really dull....I thought Death would have so much more to say than witter on about the sky and how beautiful it was every now and then.

And the characters were so one dimensional - the stepmother who was horrid at first and actually turned out to be ok, the stepfather was ok, but I really couldn't feel anything for Liesel or Rudy - perhaps it was the way it was narrated, but I always felt at a distance from the characters.

Anyway, I could rant about it for ages, but I should really do some work!

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sunburntats · 15/07/2009 14:13

i picked this up in waterstones the other day as i am desperate for something good to read, DESPERATE i tell you!

didnt buy it though as it didnt grip me.
Can you suggest a good read please?

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SouthernMeerkat · 15/07/2009 15:02

sunburn - have you read the girl with the dragon tattoo, or the girl who played with fire?

I have just finished the second one, and couldn't put it down - I thought it was brilliant.

Also, I'm not Scared by Niccolo Amanniti (sp?) was absolutely wonderful - but it's not very long.

The Testament of Gideon Mack by James someone was also very good - something completely different and so well written.

Umm, just trying to think of other things I've read recently - the History of Love by Nicole Krauss - one of my favourite books for a long time.

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FredAndGeorge · 15/07/2009 15:12

i was a bit meh about it tbh

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claireybee · 15/07/2009 15:17

Took me ages to get into and found the writing style a bit fragmented to begin with but really enjoyed it by the end

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