THE BOOK THIEFMarkus Zusak
Personal Rating: 4.5/5
What a compelling way to tell a story! I thoroughly admire the author's choice of writing style. His use of the narrator's perspective was a mesmerizing and ingenious strategy that captivated my attention. I was also very impressed with the scattering of very simple, yet profound statements that truly contained palpable sentiments.
Oddly enough, being enchanted by his writing style alone did not propel me to rate this book any higher. Simply, my "pleasure meter" wasn't elevated enough to the level that warranted it; however, I have no real complaints. ???
I'm hoping to read this book this month. I have heard such good things about it!
ReplyDeleteI've had this book on hold at the library and it came in yesterday. As soon as I finish the book I'm reading, I'll start reading The Book Thief.
ReplyDeleteI loved the style - it was unlike anything I can remember reading. The little asides in bold were particularly interesting to me.
ReplyDeleteI loved the narrator's voice and like SuziQ, I enjoyed the asides. It's still my #1 read of the year. The Thirteenth Tale didn't even come close!
ReplyDeleteI have this book on my shelf now and I can't wait to get to it!
ReplyDeleteMarg ~ Welcome! I don’t think we’ve met. :)
ReplyDeleteFor those of you that haven't read it yet, give yourself at least 50 pages to get accustomed to the writer's style. It's very unique, but intriguing!
I agree... the style is unique, which may be a turnoff. I also admire you for sticking to your interpretation of your "rating." If it doesn't hit your "pleasure meter" (or my own "TKAM" 5-point inspection list), why rate it higher?
ReplyDeleteGreat quotes in this book, though. Death is a funny character.
Kristin ~ Sometimes it can be difficult going "against the grain", but I have a right to my own opinion too. :) Thankfully there are enough styles and authors to make everybody happy.
ReplyDeleteI was pretty disappointed with this one. I think I had my hopes set too high. And I kept comparing it to true stories of WW2 Germany. And the profanity turned me off.
ReplyDeleteI've heard such good things about this book recently, and your review just gave me the extra push to put it on my ever expanding TBR list.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering--what makes a 5/5 book for you? So many books affect me in such different ways that I sometimes have a difficult time evaluating them "effectively."
Angela ~ Sorry, I have no idea how long ago you wrote your comment. I wonder I how missed it. ??? Anyway, I understand what you are saying, but I can skim over profanity when reading so it doesn't bother me too much; however, I do not like listening to it.
ReplyDeleteTrish ~ It's a long book, but a fast read. Give yourself over 50 pages to get into it. It takes that long, but it's worth it.
Trish ~ I had a very lengthy response to your rating question, but decided to spare you my jibber. I ended up with this simple answer:
ReplyDeleteEverybody's preferences and responses to books vary for so many reasons (even reasons that have nothing to do with the books) that you just have to go with how you feel overall. Some people like to wait a few days to let the book sink in, then write about it, but I usually (almost always) rate a book directly after reading it. I like to rate it, write about it and then move on! :)
Also, I just write my thoughts really for my own purposes, but through this public forum they end up getting read by others. I can't let them disuade me from writing what I truly feel. As long as I stay consistent in my own ratings, that's all that matters to me. I really am not writing "reviews" and never have claimed that, so to me there is no protocol.
So, ultimately...there is no prescribed "effective" way to rate a book. On your blog, whatever makes you happy will be effective. :)
LOL...sorry, and this was sparing you. Can you only imagine? YIKES!
Joy--thanks for taking the time to answer my comment. What I love about reading is the many different ways books affect me. One book will do one thing for me, but another will do something completely different. Because of that, though, sometimes I feel like I am comparing apples with oranges--in which they are so different it is hard to compare. I guess it all comes down to taste (I didn't have the planned out...but those puns are so sneaky sometimes).
ReplyDeleteTrish ~ I smirked at the puns. :)
ReplyDeleteYou are right. Comparing books is a risky business. That's one reason why a lot of bloggers do not rate. I LOVE ratings for my own memory of the book and from other bloggers to give me a ballpark of whether I'd like to read it. I don't read whole reviews because a lot of bloggers say too much and that ruins the experience for me. I read full reviews after I've read a book. Also, some bloggers only use their blog as positive recommendations. Everybody does their own thing. It makes for a fun blogging world. :)
Yes, it is interesting that Zusak used Death as the narrator... I did enjoy reading this book. Well, not really 'enjoyed' it, it's not a fun read, nothing about the Holocaust is a fun read. But it's really gripping and it kept me glued to the book. :)
ReplyDeleteHere's my review of it.
Josette ~ "Gripping and glued" - two words that describe this book very well.
ReplyDelete