Words are heavy. And so are tears. ( )

A very interesting book, that was very well written. A story of nazi Germany from a German perspective narrated by Death (yes, the grim reaper). Can’t say I’ve ever read anything like it before, but I’m glad I did. Excellent read. ( )

A story beautifully told, with heart-warming passages, odds and ends. Is there a more perfect narrator in war times than death himself? But of course this fact alone would have deserved some more explaining. The plot itself sometimes seems to have been shaped by someone holding a divining rod, encountering new input here and there, but the references back to the basic storyline duly occur so that the journey is not too erratic.
What I found rather annoying was the reader's idea to speak se Dschöamens wiss a Dschöamen eccent.I know how we can sound, and he is rather convincing at it, but I just don't understand why you would do that just because the protagonists happen to be Dschöamen.

Saw the movie some years ago. This book has been on my shelf since a couple years ago and I decided to read it and compare it to how well the movie covered the subject matter. NO comparison. So many important items (for example, Max’s books with drawings) are not portrayed at all in the movie, nor is the relationship between Liesel and others fully developed. Of course, a 2 hour movie could not do so very well, with a much longer series being a much better presentation. With 2 hours or so, neither could the psychological perspective of things happening be done well.

The book is excellent. Over the years, I’ve seen most if not all of the newsreels of Hitler and the devastation of Germany during WWII, but never before felt the connection to the humanity of citizen suffering in Germany. Yes, Hitler was evil in every way, no debating that, and his armies deserved full destruction. But never did I feel like I could empathize with German citizens who often suffered from indiscriminate bombing (as well as England and other countries, no debate there). There was an element of the citizenry in Germany that did not agree with Hitler’s pursuit of the war – in addition, there were many attempts on Hitler’s life to try to change course.

I understand why this book is discussion material in schools. Relationships are presented well for discussion. The author’s method of presentation of events intrigues the reader, entices the reader to read further to find out what the Narrator is talking about with things to happen in the future. Although the Holocaust is always lurking in the background, there is no real mention of it. Treatment of the Jews is presented only in the context of how they are treated in the city where Liesel lives but without a lot of violence, mostly their starvation and beatings while marching through town.

I strongly suggest that if you have an interest in the book, read the book first and then see the movie. ( )

I read this in a book group, remember enjoying the conversation and sharing my opinions, but don't recall much of the book itself. ( )