I don’t actually know how I am going to express my thoughts
and feelings on this one.
It took me quite some time to actually pick it up and start
reading. All the hype and reviews keep playing in my mind and shouting for me
to start, they would not leave me alone! I completed The Book Thief at the
beginning of January (after spending a few months on it..) and I gave it a 5 stars. I remember, after I finished it, sitting there and knowing
that I have so many books to choose from (for my next quest), but I just could
not bring myself to do it, because I was processing. I messaged my friend
straight away and told her “oh gosh I feel changed”! (Keep in mind, this friend
of mine lives in Australia and when I finished that book it was already the
start of the next day seeing that they are 6 hours ahead. That’s how changed I
felt!)
I am not a fan of historical fiction, I find myself rather
going for the “nowadays” stuff, if you know what I mean. I also struggled
getting into the book. At one point I did put it down and then I picked it up
again. It was when I picked it up again that I could not put it down. It is one
of those books that actually needs all of your undivided attention without any interruptions.
Now,
if you don’t know what The Book Thief is all about, go read the summary H E R E and
also check it out the reviews on GoodReads
The writing style was easy to follow, easy to read and just
overall the book is wonderfully written. This book is narrated by Death. How
cool is this?! His point of view is totally different and it also gives you
another perspective on the characters’ lives. I loved how the characters
developed throughout the book and that the characters were relatable (Well, I
have never been part of a war, but they were “human”. I hope this makes sense.).
What struck me is the story had two sides (well, actually
many), the Jews and Germans (well, every story does but I don’t always think
about this particular situation i.e WWII). It also struck me that there were
Germans who tried helping as best they could and who sacrificed their safety in
the process. I never thought of that. I know this is fiction based on a true “event”,
but still, I don’t always think about everything. It also hit me that although
the Jews really suffered, so did the German families. Fathers had to leave and
go do their “duty”. Mother and child were left behind, Germany were bombed as
well (Well, of course Germany was bombed. It was after all a war and a lot of parties
were involved.)
I probably sound like a total idiot, but just bear with me.
We learned about the WWII at school, but not in a lot of detail and very
selectively. Now that I am older, it makes a difference. WOW!
This book was filled with emotions. I laughed, I felt sad, I
felt anger, I cried and I had compassion and sympathy with the characters. The
story still plays in my mind from time to time and someday I will re-read it.
It just had an impact on me that I cannot put into words. I
think this is the best it is going to get. I will recommend this book to anyone
actually. It is different than your usual war stories. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
If you have read this book, please leave a comment below and
tell me what you thought about it.
Speak to you soon...or sooner!
xoxo
