DNF Review | The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Posted on Monday, January 27, 2014 8:39 AM

Format: Kindle Edition
Source: Purchased
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 14, 2006
Pages: 552
It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement.

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak, author of I Am the Messenger, has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.

This won't be a very long review since I only made it to 14% before I decided to put this book down, I just wanted to share the reasons why I didn't finish this book. 

The Book Thief was recommended to me for January Epic Recs and I've been wanting to read it for a while and I had heard such AMAZING things about so I was excited to get started on it.  Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. 

I was expecting to be blown away from the moment I started reading this book and while the writing is very unique, this book was just a little too slow for me.  I'm so disappointed that I couldn't get past 14% because it seems like I'm in the minority, I don't think I've ever come across anyone who didn't like this book.  I just could not get into the story.

Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for this type of book when I was reading it, maybe I'll pick it up in the future and fall in love with it but for right now, it's a DNF for me.  For those of you who have read it, does it pick up? 






Comments (3)

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I read it 3-4 years ago, I think, so I can't quite tell you if it picks up or not, but I did love it when I read it. I meant to re-read it before the movie came out but I just didn't have the time. I really enjoyed death as the narrator and the format was very new to me but the overall story was so good and I cried like a baby at the end.
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I loved this book from the beginning so I can't say whether it picks up or not because I really didn't notice. I feel like it is a bit of a "slower" book in general- it is based more on the characters then on the plot- especially since Death tells you what is going to happen in the end.
Sorry you didn't like it- I feel like there are only a few people that I have heard about not liking it but they all seemed to say the same thing you did.
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I actually thought about reading this but... I don't know. haha

Sorry you didn't like it! Let me know if you play to pick it up in the future :)
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