Best of October: The Book Thief
Today's question: What's the best book you've read this month?
The growing trend is that reading isn't happening lately. I don't know if it's the change of seasons, the start of shiny new television, or a severe case of "too many words." Whatever the reason may be, I've succeeded in reading one book with a second one to be done by month's end.
The book I managed to read was The Book Thief.
In case you haven't read it, here's the blurb from Barnes and Noble:
"It s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. Set during World War II in Germany, this groundbreaking novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can t resist books. This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul."
What I'm going to say isn't going to make a lot of people happy.
I didn't like The Book Thief.
There. I said it.
I read to be entertained,* not to be reminded of the horrors of WW2 or how people are bastards, but some really redeem the human race... Etc, etc. This book felt like required reading for 12th grade English. I could go days without reading it and not care. I never wondered "Christ, is Max going to be discovered?" or "Hmm... Who is telling the story**?" I finished reading it on Sunday and I haven't thought about it since***.
Markus Zusak deserves the praise he received for writing this and I understand why it got tons of awards. The writing was haunting and the story heartbreaking. One of the blurbs on the book calls The Book Thief the type of book that could be life changing and for the right person, but I'm not that person.
Be sure to stop by YA Highway and see what others are saying.
What's the best book you've read this month?
* The exception is when reading craft books or anything for research.
** Which I guess was a big surprise to some. Me, I figured it out after the prologue.
*** But I've thought about the most recent Vampire Diaries book at least 6 times since I finished chapter whatever last night.
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Last.fm hit of the day: World of Shame by Ego Likeness