Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Here we can discuss our group read for the month: The Book Thief

Please use spoiler tags if you are sharing any plot related surprises.

Posts should be exclusively about this book.

When you've finished, be sure to post in the May challenge: I finished! thread.

I liked the book. I had not watched the movie and knew very little about the book before reading. I liked the relationships developed, but would have liked (view spoiler)[to have had more development of the Mayor's wife. I did appreciate the resolution of the conflict between Liesel and Ilsa. Although the book is predictably sad and I cried, I found Death's humor refreshing. Finally, while Hans is my favorite, I grew to really like Rosa, too. (hide spoiler)]

Shmoops has covered this book, if you're interested. (Tons of spoilers there...visit only after you've read the book!)

I listened to the audio book. I loved it. The narrator was great and I cried at the end.

I'm not done with it yet but as much as I like the book so far, something annoys me. I really don't like when the narrator spoil the rest of the books. Sentences like: '' we will get to that later'', ''you will know why very soon''. I don't find that useful or of interrest.

I really enjoyed the book, but I do agree Fannie that those sentences throughout the book did get annoying!

I am just starting the book today. How's everyone enjoying it so far?

I loved the book! It really did take me by surprise. I especially loved the narrator's point-of-view. I do agree with Fannie that such parts where the narrator feeds us information may be seen as spoilers and therefore annoying. However, that didn't stop me from crying really hard near the end!

I will admit to getting something in my eye at the end.

I liked it but just ok.

I think it would have been netter if shorter and less redundant.

But I am glad I read it. And I was holding my tears at the end.

I've just finished the book now and I am totally crying my eyes out. So glad I didn't finish this one during my commute!

I do agree with everyone else about the narrator. The spoilers and asides were pretty irritating but I did enjoy the book overall.

I finished last night. I agree Death's spoilers took away from the book. But I enjoyed reading it. This had been on my tbr for a while and I'm glad I finally had the push to read it.

I really loved this book! Death being the narrator got me hooked from the beginning. The spoilers didn't bother me at all, though I guess I could see why it annoyed some people. I just really love how death was portrayed in the opposite way you would expect. I thought the comments he made about Hitler and humanity were fascinating. I also thought some of the imagery/metaphors were beautiful.

I'm actually going to use this for the "book from a non-human perspective" prompt instead.

I haven't seen the movie; has anyone else seen it and what did you think??

Shannon wrote: "I listened to the audio book. I loved it. The narrator was great and I cried at the end."

I listened to the audio book as well and the narrator was wonderful!!!

I am a little late but I just finished today. I really liked this book but thought it was a little heavy handed with the metaphors and just little bit too long, but overall I liked it plus it is my favorite genre and time in history. It didn't bother me with Death the narrator spoiling or foreshadowing things until a little bit near the end. And maybe I am over thinking things but I had to look up a little more information on the symbolism of the "The Word Shaker" story.

I love the relationship between Hans Hubermann and Lisel. I don't know if it was for realism or shock to put so many German curse words and name calling- do you all think it was necessary? Any way just a thought.

In the end I didn't mind that Death foretold (literary pun there) what would happen in the end. When I finally reached the end it still packed quite a punch. Knowing the outcome, for me, added to the book's mood.

I finished this book today. I had taken me a while to get into the story, but by a third through/halfway, I had to keep reading. I cried at the end too. I rather liked Death's narration.