Pluses
– All the characters are believable. They react and change in the way one would think they would.
– The writing is well done. The author uses poetic, witty and heart-wrenching language to draw the reader in.
– The message being conveyed by the book is very strong and one that should be learned by everyone.
– The story has ties with an event that actually happened; World War II.
Minuses
– The book may be a little too long for some.
– Some characters contributed almost nothing to the overall plot.
– The ending may come off as cheap to the reader.
– Liesel’s and Rudy’s relationship may be frustrating, due to the fact it culminates to nothing.
– Death spoils things for the reader.
Interesting
– Death is the narrator and provides little comments throughout the book.
– A language bonus for those who know German, as some Germans words are used in the book.
– There are sections in the book that have pictures drawn by Max in them.
I liked how you added a picture at the end! Is it one of the pictures that Max drew?? 🙂
-Megan
You mention that the message being conveyed in the book is very strong, yet you don’t actually say what it is. Could you elaborate a bit for people who haven’t read the book?
Also, I’m curious about Death being the narrator. When previewing every book, I didn’t really like it because Death made it confusing. How do Death’s comments enhance/ detract the reader’s experience?
Yeah, I didn’t mention the theme because I didn’t want to spoil it for those who hadn’t read it. I think one of the major themes of the book is that no matter what, you have to fight for what you believe in. Both Hans and Liesel are shown not following what the Nazis do, instead following what they know is right. I think this theme is a really important one to know as it’s one that could help anyone. On the subject of Death, he really adds an interesting layer to the story. He provides facts that really help in understanding the plot and he’s also kinda of funny during certain parts, acting as comic relief. The only real negative thing about Death is that he does spoil things for the reader. In my opinion, I actually didn’t mind him spoiling things as it does hook you in.