The Book Thief
It took me forever to read this book. I feel that it's important to clarify why. It did not take me forever because I didn't enjoy it, or because it was incredibly unreasonably long, but rather because I was beginning my first semester of college around the time I began reading this book, and in the end the books I was reading for my Freshman English class needed to take priority. Of course, I made it my first priority to finish this book as soon as I was able to, and I am happy to report that I finally have it done.So, without further ado, here is what I thought.
This. Book. Killed. Me. It's heartbreaking, gut wrenching, soul twisting...fill in any of the most dramatic descriptions you can think of, and this is all of them. And yet, somehow...and I have no idea how, it left me happy. Not happy because of the content, of course, because it's miserable and depressing and almost unbearably sad in parts, but happy because despite all of that misery and depression and unbearable sadness, it has hope. Hope that despite the endless destruction that the human race perpetrates upon itself, our lives are still worth living, are stories are still worth telling, and our words are still powerful enough to create light even in the darkest of places.
I would love to be more detailed and professional in this review. I would love to tell you about the incredibly detailed descriptions, and thought provoking writing, and intriguing narration, and heartfelt lovable characters, and the brilliant overarching themes that are swirling through my head even as I write this, but I just don't have the words to do so, because no words could do this book justice. So all I can really say is this: If you're a person who has not read this book, fix that right now. I don't care what kind of books you like. I don't care how old you are. Just read.
I'll leave you with a quote that sums up this novel and my feelings on it fairly well, and one which I hope will inspire you to take my advice and pick up this novel:
"I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right."
