Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
How does this book compare to others you have read?
Blog Rules
1. Keep it polite, respectful, and focused.
2. No text-talk: writing style counts.
3. DON'T YELL WITH CAPITALS!
4. Stay on topic: our purpose is to discuss literature.
2. No text-talk: writing style counts.
3. DON'T YELL WITH CAPITALS!
4. Stay on topic: our purpose is to discuss literature.
Contributors
- Alex Quint
- Amy Gelhorn
- Annah Coleman
- Barscello
- Breanne
- Brooke
- Cristina Bras
- Daniel Boswick
- DannyG
- Doug
- Dylan
- Elvina
- Gurdeep Sangha
- HaileyBuhler
- Harjinder Sidhu
- Harley Masyk
- Hayley
- JESSIE PANCHHI
- Jen Yu
- Jeremy Allard
- Jordan Soloway
- Jordan
- Jordyn Weselake
- K-A
- Karlee McKenzie
- Kelly Feniuk
- Kelsey
- MPanchhi
- Madison Langton
- Maria Zarrillo
- Martina
- Michaela Publicover
- Ms. McMaster
- Ryan Rogocki
- Stephanie A.
- Taylor Caryk
- Tyrenn Bauer
- Vicki La
- Vicky Ngo
- alexlucyshen
- kayla b
- kirstin bilous
- lttle.fireball
- steph
For me, reading the prologues with death's foretellings of coming events, or deaths particularily, kind of ruined the surprise for me. I prefer not know whats coming as opposed to just wondering the "how" and "when". It does require a different style of reading comprehension and prediction for me seeing as we get a lot of hints.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI concur.
ReplyDeleteAs Daniel B stated above, I strongly agree with you. But this novel does in fact add more suspense being told mostly through Death, but it also sort of ruins the novel slightly by giving us obvious hints as well as telling as what happends. Guess we got to keep reading to see if it is more different or the same as other novels we read.
ReplyDeletetouché..
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDeath being the narrator gives the book a very different feel while reading it, especially in the prologues and first few chapters when I was still getting used to this new style of narration. Nobody thinks about death as a living thing, or even as an object. It’s just kind of there. So to read a book where death is a “living” thing (that’s contradictory!) with thoughts, opinions, and even a job, made it a little hard for me to concentrate on the actual story at first. Later on, I found that there were times when I forgot who the narrator was, until Death pops in announcing things like he “loosened his soul, and carried it gently away” (page 10). That’s a bold reminder of who the narrator is. I think this kind of narrator makes the reading experience different mostly because the story isn’t told from the point of view of a active character, but of a witness; someone who sees the whole story, but only occasionally takes part in it. Also, even when he actively plays a role, it’s a very different kind of role: the role of death, the one who decides when it’s a character’s turn to die, and then takes their soul. Although it makes the book a bit more morbid, I like it a lot so far.
ReplyDeletePersonally I disagree with Daniel B and his belief that having Death narrate The Book Theif ruins the suspense. I beleive that the way Death narrates adds suspense to the novel while you wait for the obviously foreshadowed events to occur. When the omniscent narrator gives me these tidbits of information I find myself constently looking for more hints in hopes of finding out what will happen, usually Death beats me to it. Along with the different take on this time period it makes for very interesting reading.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that Death being the narrator ruins the suspense at all. He foreshadows many events continually, but even knowing what's about to come the book is still surprising and interesting. Like Shandra said, the small hints Death does give us simply makes me want to keep reading and find out exactly what happens, which brings even more tension and suspense in the story. I also enjoy the way Death describes himself. On page 6 in the prologue, first he gives a small threat, and then in bold hurriedly assures us that he is not violent at all. Usually people regard death, and dying, as a very morbid subject, which it is. The way Death describes himself is that he would rather not have to take away people's souls. Death doesn't happen because it wants to, but as a result. When I compare my thoughts on death to the narrator Death it is surprising how much they differ.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Martina's post, when she says that most people's thoughts about death differ greatly from the way the narrator Death sees himself. He doesn't enjoy his job. She's right: he is simply the result of something.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to Stephanie A's post:
ReplyDeleteI also see Death as being a person, but a person with unlimited knowledge. What bothers me about our narrator is whether it's a boy or a girl. At times Death feels masculine like when it talks about Liesel throughout the novel. Due to my pre-conceived notion of death being a bad thing I could see Death lusting for a little girl despite what Death says about itself. But at the same time Death's obsession could rather be born of loneliness for friendship rather then for the opposite gender. So for me I remain undecided and am wondering if any one has any more evidence to back up the gender of Death.
I had a hard time at first, getting used to death being the narrator. Sometimes i forget that it's being told by death, and other times it's really clear that death is talking. Another thing is "death" talking? then i think how can death talk? it's not human, it's not alive, but yet it's not dead either. The narrator is like stuck in the middle between the living and the dead if that is possible? but anything is possible in a book. Another point, is so far in the book it has not mentioned whether death is male or female. I just naturally suggest that it's male. Who else does the same? I know i am not the only one. But there is no gender for the narrator this keeps me curious.
ReplyDeleteI actually found it kind of interesting that this story is being told by death (narrator) because it makes you wonder why it’s being told by “death” and it kind of pursues me to read the book just to find out the reasoning behind having death tell the story. The fact that the narrator keeps giving hints of what’s to come, drives me insane but in a way those hints make me more eager to get to that point of the book that that specific event is going to happen. The fact that death is the narrator gives the book this weird but interesting vibe, I mean it makes me wonder of how in the world death can talk, and how he is so informed about everything and everyone. I think that the fact that the narrator is “death” keeps the readers suspense level increasing, at least that’s the case for me.
ReplyDeleteI really agree with Serena. For some reason when I was reading, I naturally decided that death was male. I didn't even think twice about that until I read Serena and Shandra's entries. I'm not sure why, but when I think of death, I think of it being a male. The point of view being death, makes reading the story a total different experience. I have never read a book like this before, so it is really different. As I am reading, I forget who is telling the story, because at some points it could be anyone narrating. Occasionally he will say something that will make me think "Oh right! Death is telling the story!" Right now, death being the narrator seems very strange, but I am looking forward to seeing how the story will be developed and what part death will play.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I love having Death as the narrator. Occasionally, I do wonder if Death actually has a gender or not, but that's not the point. In books, we usually see how the dying characters react or think, but Death (in this book) isn't how most people would picture him or her. He's not actually happy that he has to collect the souls; he's simply doing his job. At first I was quite surprised to see that he didn't have a really negative attitude. I found that Death's character seems very free spirited - like he's already seen it all (which he probably has), so nothing surprises him. I think Death really adds to the book, I find that it makes it more interesting than having a normal narrator, like almost all books. The foreshadowing doesn't bother me. It makes me want to read it more as I usually get quite curious to see what events may happen next.
ReplyDeleteI think that Zusak made a very interesting choice with the point of view he has chosen to use. Having Death as the narrator is very different from any book that I have read, most books are just in first person. I suppose you would consider Death as third person but to me it seems like he is more then just an "it" or spirit. Sometimes it feels he is right there, helping Liesel learn more words or playing soccer with all of the children. It seems like he is just another character in the novel. Can people in the story see Death? Is he disguised as a person? Or is he just a spirit? In some ways I see him as all of them. He is a very complex narrator and makes it a very different experience to read this novel. I do see Death as a male. It may be stereotypical that he is male but it also seems that he is by the way he talks, views things, and describes scenarios. Overall, I do really enjoy him, he does spice up the novel quite a bit. I do not think the novel would be the same if it was told in first person by Liesel or Rudy or whoever else.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone that having death as a narrator does change the experience of reading a book. Before even starting reading this book, I heard my friends talk about it and from their conversations I learned that the book is about Holocaust. From this fact I assumed that there will be a lot of sadness, tragedies and deaths in the novel. After that I right away formed a prejudice that I would not like that book, since I don’t like reading about sufferings and woes. (There are quite enough of them in real life.) Still, I was not so sure about it until I got to know that the actual narrator of the novel is Death. “Well,” I thought, “Death? Tells? A story? That is going to be very “interesting!” But as you might suspect my opinion changed as I started reading. At first I was very absorbed into death introduction of itself. Then it got very depressing when death was describing as Liesel found her brother dead, lying sideways with his big blue eyes staring into nothingness. Just the image of it is unbearable... After, the burial and the chaos of goodbye scenes also left very unpleasant feelings of resentment. Up to this point I really did not like the book, and not because it was written badly, but because the content was too depressing. Nevertheless, it got better as Liesel started her new life. I even forgot about Death and started to absorb into the story more, but when Death reminded of himself, the question popped up in my head as to why does Death follows Liesel anyway? Why would someone so busy, superior and abstract at the same time be interested in a life of little poor girl? Hopefully, I will find out, but right now when I already have started reading the book, the fact of having Death as a narrator does not repels me from reading the novel, instead it only stirs up my interest.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I don't like Death being the narrarator. I find that the way he describes events, using colours, makes it a little bit confusing. The whole "colours" idea just doesn't appeal to me. I also don't like how Death foreshadows randomly. Plus I don't particularly enjoy the bolded inserts. They seem to ruin the flow of the book. I realize that the information in them is important, I just wish it was done differently. Although, I suppose that's the author's way of making the book challenging and unique.
ReplyDeleteI find that having death tell the stroy sort of ruins the book. Everyone knows that someone is ovbiously going to die because he is telling the story. We know that we has to swoop in and take someones sole. With having him narrate the stroy adds a bit of suspense because you are waiting for death to happen. I like the suspense but i dont like how death ruins the reading experience. I wish that we didnt know that someone was going to die, but since he is narrating, we know.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I like having death narrating the story. Its way different then any other book i've read. It makes the book thief different and distinct. I didn't find reading this book as having death as the narrator difficult to adjust to, i just made me want to read the book even more. I don't think having death narrate ruins the suspense at all, because like Death said at the beginning of the book, everyone dies. So i'm not always wondering who's about to die in this story, just because Death is the narrator.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes this book so different from many other books I have read in the time of the war is that it's told from the perspective of a "german family" instead of a jewish one. I think this is a great idea and probably made the book easier for the author to write due to the many topics that are opened up from the german perspective as well as making the book different and more enjoyable for the reader. This is definitely the reason that this book is able to hook me and make me want to read more.
ReplyDeleteI really like how someone who isn't even a human being narrarates this novel. It adds a different type of perspective that I've never seen before. I also think it is cool how Death knows everything before it is going to happen, because it makes me want to read even more to decipher his intentions.
ReplyDeleteI am relating to Death as a "him", because that is just the type of character I think he may be. Although he could also be an "it", but it just doesn't feel right.
I think the author made a good decision having the point of view coming from Death. I can imagine the story being narrarated by Liesel, and even though it would be different, I still think Death is the perfect character for the job. He just gives the story a whole different perspective,because he is such an unusual character.
Since the term "Death" is not actually a person, object, or animal in real lfe, I think it is a very interesting choice to have Death be a character. The author has created a personality for him, and it makes me think of death as more than just a word, but almost like a person that you will eventually meet at the end of your life.
Although I don't particularly favor the choice to have Death as the narrator, there is one aspect that I do enjoy. I think that the fact that Death does quite a bit of foreshadowing makes the book more suspenseful and exciting. I find that when certain parts in the book start to get dull, up pops some foreshadowing that draws me back in and makes me want to read more!
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning I found it hard to keep up with death being the point of view, but once I got further into the book I started to understand what was happening. Death as a narrator is interesting because other books I have read didn't have that concept. I think it keeps me interested in the story and keeps it suspenseful.
ReplyDeleteAs Chris said, it was a really good idea to write the book from a German Families view. It is a really different experience for me to read this type of book. I have read a lot of books about the Holocaust before, but none have been like this. In the Book Thief, I haven't read much so far about the Jews, and what is happening to them. It is really interesting to read about what the German families had to go though during the holocaust, and to see that not all Germans hated the Jews and wanted them gone. It makes you think of some of the Germans differently, because in all other Holocaust books I read, all of the Germans were against the Jews. This book makes you really think, and changes the way you see the Holocaust.
ReplyDeleteI agree 100% with Josette's opinion. This book has opened my eyes a bit to what happened. From what I knew from before I got the impression that all Germans were against the Jews, this is mainly due to incorrect information that's been given. I like how this book gives everyone a different outlook on what happened during the Holocaust and that the Jews weren't the only ones that went through stuff during that time.
ReplyDeleteDeath as the point of view confuses me sometimes, I forget that it's him talking until he includes himself personaly into the story. I've realized that he has a lot to do in this book, but I forget he's there and find myself thinking that it is just some guy talking about the Germans. I also agree with Josette, I haven't read a book about the Holocaust that wasen't focused on a Jewish family, it's very interesting to see the other side of the story.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading more of the novel I have come to realize that I have christened Death as a male. Being a feminist I hate when people associate things without a gender with masculinity, it's almost as if we can't help it. When I think about why it all comes back to power.
ReplyDeleteDeath is in a very powerful position; without him how would all the souls be moved to other places. Death has the power to leave souls stranded here or take them to the wrong place at any moment. We associate males with power due to fact they were the ones with majority of it for most of history. Men were the ones in charge in the home, the work force and in the government. Women then and sometimes today, were seen as powerless hence my association with such a powerful character as Death.
I think that having death as a narrator is interesting and makes the book quite gripping in the first couple pages. However, after a little while I find that it's easy to forget who the narrator is, and it really doesn't make a difference to the reading experience, except when he periodically chips in a new opinion. This is probably the best way to have it, because it makes the book unique, but it doesn't interefere with your reading very often.
ReplyDeleteAs to the times when death foreshadows, I personally don't find it a problem because the story jumps around so much that it's hard to make a coherent timeline as to exactly what's going to happen and when.
Also, I don't think that the book really needs to rely on suspense. It's a historical book, so we know from the start certain events that are going to happen.. The very first chapter talks about a scene that still hasn't happened (I'm on page 167) and it gives us hints all the time. I think that we're allowed to know how it will turn out, but we can only guess how the characters will get there.
I think that the stereotype that all Germans were Nazis or all of them supported Hitler is the same kind of stereotype that all Canadians have a good life. It is true that most have it better then, let's say, those who live in third world countries, but it is obvious that there are many people even in Canada that are almost as bad off. You just have to drive downtown to realise how many homeless people are living in Canada. I think that Death being the narrator really helps us understand that, although only Germans were Nazis, it does not mean that every German was a Nazi. With Death being omnicient, it really helps the readers gain a deeper understanding of the Holocaust and how many Germans really were against their Führer.
ReplyDeleteI do but i don't like Death as the narrator. One thing that bothers me is that "it" tells you something that won't happen in the book for a while. An example is when "it" told us about Rudy's death. It makes me wonder when I'm reading when this will happen and how it happened. Death does this alot. It sometimes confuses me because you don't know when you will find out the details of the event. For all we know it won't happen till the end of the book but it's in the back of our minds all through the book. Markus Zusak may have done this on purpose but it's not a preference of mine.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what most people said, that having death as the narrator definitely makes reading the book different. This isn't a typical point of view that most books have, like someone from the book telling the story or first person. Though, this is different in a good way because it lets you see the story in a bit of a different way and perspective. What i mean is in this book not only do you have the story be told by death and him explaining everything thats going on, but he also explains his own life. In most books the narrator may explain themselves, but they're a character in the book. Death isn't actually a real character in the story, but is someone who isn't seen and just tells it, yet has a lot of significance.
ReplyDeleteDeath telling the story really makes this book unique to read. Usually we have a character or narrator telling the story thorough their points of view but, not in this novel. I agree with everyone that it indeed does ruin the story when Death tells you what’s going to happen but, that's what I love about this novel that it is very different from the other novels I have read. I have to use a different mind set when reading this book. It requires a different reading comprehension and that's what makes it truly unique. Death lets you look at the book with different perspectives. It's very unique and interesting. Death has a big impact on the story yet it is not real, it’s not a character it's just something that cant been seen.
ReplyDeleteOn page 119, death tells us the book burning event. Then refers to the books that where at the bottem of the pile and did not get burn as "Survivors." This really stood out to me, because the world in the book was going through a world war and the people where getting killed. Death makes it seem like the books are people with a heart and feelings. In some way they are both the people that they where killing and the books they where burning both where jew related. This spot really stands out just how it is written and the punctuation make you really think.
ReplyDeleteDeath is starting to confuse me... He is sort of moving from scene to scene and not making it very clear as to what is going on. Like when Max was having the dream about the boxing match I didn't realize it was a dream until after and I was really confused as it what was happening.
ReplyDeleteI'm also starting to not like how Death tells you in advance that an event/death is going to happen. It does bring up the suspense a little bit as to when and how it will happen but I would rather just be surprised when it legitimately happens.
Some people hate the foreshadowing, some people don't. I personally don't mind it. Okay, so maybe Death isn't really THAT free spirited as I mentioned, as I forgot his wanting of a vacation - which will never happen... I guess. He seems to be busier in the later chapters as he's skipped quite some time in the book. Perhaps it means that he was busy traveling the world, collecting souls. The usual. Or maybe it's the war that's been keeping him busy. For me, the book seems clear. I might have to re-read certain things just to refresh my memory, but besides that, Death's narrating is just fine for now.
ReplyDeletePersonally, i like the foreshadowing that death does. I find that it's useful when reading the book for the reason that you can find clues and little things that may lead up to the reasoning of an event. For example, Death tells us Rudy's going to die early on. At first i was a little upset that he told us this because i would have never seen it coming. Though, as i kept reading i found that it was quite useful because i could pick out somethings that may contribute to the reasoning of Rudy's death. Death even tells us in the book that he's being rude for all the foreshadowing that he's doing, but has a good reason for it that i totally agree with. Death knows whats going to happen and who's going to die, so why would he keep it a mystery? He's basically a character who likes to put things out there and i kind of like that. His reasoning is that if he tells us an event early on then we'll be more aware of what to take clue of, or like he said "There are many things to think of" and "There is much story". I think this makes sense and the foreshadowing is just an aspect that makes this book so unique and exciting to read.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure how I feel over all about Death foreshadowing events, but I do know that I wasn't happy hearing that Rudy died before it happened. I wasn't expecting that to happen at all, so it made me really sad to know what was going to happen to him. Then it jumping back in time also really confused me, because as death was telling about how Rudy had died, I thought he was talking in the moment, not in the future. It was only when Death said that it was rude for him to tell us that, and he spoiled a part of the book, that I realized that he was talking about an event that hasn’t came yet. I agree that he had spoiled a part of the book because we know now what is going to happen. I’m not sure about other people, but as I am reading something about Rudy, I am asking myself, “Is he going to die now?” I would have preferred to find out that he was going to die, as it was happening, instead of so far in advance.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Josette in the way that in some parts of the novel death takes away some sespense but I also think that in telling us what is going to happen adds some antisipation.
ReplyDeleteI like the structure in which Death narrates this story. He narrates it as though he witnessed all these events, and is retelling it to someone sitting right in front of him, which I think is really cool. It gives the impression that Death is talking specifically to each individual reader, almost like you're having a conversation with him, so each reader can establish their own understanding of the events talked about in the book.
ReplyDeleteNow that i am much further into my reading, Death doesnt phase me anymore. I accepted the fact that he isnt a character and that he is the narrator. I used to think that Death was ruining the story but now i feel the complete opposite. With him narrrating it adds a whole new twist on the book making it much more interesting to read. The one thing that doesnt make me happy is that he is always foreshadowing everything that is going on already. I like reading a book that leaves you clueless and not having you waiting for something to happen that you know is going to. Sure its cool to have the clues but its something that i am not a fan of. Death is a great narrator besides the fact of the foreshadowing.
ReplyDeleteI think that death telling the story ruins some parts by telling what happens ahead of time. I would rather read the events as they are happening then have death say whats going to happen and then later on get into more detail.
ReplyDeleteWhen Death narrates this story, he gives hints about what’s going to happen later on in the book. He will mention that someone dies, and then talk about something else, and then a few chapters later he goes into greater detail about how/why the character died. It takes a while to get used to reading the story from this perspective. However, I personally don’t find that Death narrating the story ruins the suspense. I think it actually adds suspense, just in a different way. We don’t have to wonder what’s going to happen, because Death often tells us ahead of time. Instead, the reader can wonder how, or why, or what happened previously to cause this event, and what’s going to be the result of something happening. So in my opinion, Death doesn’t ruin the suspense, he creates it, just in a different way than most readers are used to.
ReplyDeleteI think that the reason why the Markus Zusak chose to foreshadow certain events before their actual occurrence is because the events itself are not as important as the road that leads to them. Like in Shakespeare, before even starting to read the story, the author right away notifies the reader that Romeo and Juliette are going to die. At first you think that it totally ruins the story, but actually it is just different way that was chosen by an author to communicate the themes and ideas of the story. The same technique is used in the Book Thief. The author tries to make a point of not What Happens but How and Why it does.
ReplyDeleteEven thought Death is the narrator i sometimes for get that he is. It feels like he is a character in some ways without him the book wouldn't be the same. I agree with HaileyBuhler sometimes death tells a little more than i want to know ahead of time. But i dont agree that it ruins it, it's just a different way of reading it is taking me time to get used to it. I feel that some of Deaths Comments are like a information board it gives you up coming events.
ReplyDeletePersonally I find that having the story narrated by Death, while confusing at times, is in general really refreshing and provides a much more interesting reading experience. He – for some reason I don’t fully understand, I immediately christened him a male – has a very unique way of wording things, and his lack of active role in the events of the story really differentiates him from the majority of narrators. Often the narrator is integrated in the story, talking about what’s going on around him, however Death is more of an observer, objective, merely recounting events as he sees them.
ReplyDeleteIn general, I dislike “old” things, which includes (non-fantasy) stories that are not set in more modern times. However despite the story taking place in the 1940’s, Death has a very modern-sounding narrative voice, allowing me to better connect with the story.
Also, what I meant by his narration being “confusing” is that he tends to jump around from scene to scene, or more so from time to time, which can make it a little hard to keep track of where we are. He foreshadows events that are yet to come and goes on a bit of a tangent about these future occurrences, then kind of returns to the present and says essentially “Back it up! I’m getting ahead of myself, so... yeah, this is where we were.” While it sometimes irritates me, I don’t find it deteriorates at all from the reading experience.
(Yeah I know, everyone's kind of past the initial reaction to the narrator, but whatever, had to get it out there.)
While having read the book with death as the narrator was definatly an experience that i have not faced while reading a book. While we discussed in class about death as the narrator, Ms. McMaster stated that most people think that death is in fact a boy but we have no proof of this statement. For me, it is a tad frustrating not knowing if death is a boy or girl so from now on i must call death "it".
ReplyDeleteNow that I’m further along in the book, I’m starting to notice funny things about the way Death narrates this book. At first, his random “outbursts” that were bolded and asterisked just made me think that they were important things to take note of. But now, I’m getting the impression that Death just trips over himself when he’s speaking. Death often jumps from one idea to the next from chapter to chapter, and then back to the first. I think that Death has seen everything; it’s almost like he can be everywhere and see everything that is happening all at the same time. I think that because of this, Death has an overwhelming knowledge of everything, and when he tries to explain something or educate the reader, he just can’t get his ideas out fast enough. Hence, he jumps from idea to idea and interrupts himself, which is why he needs to put those random “important notices” in the middle of a page.
ReplyDeleteThe way Death foreshadows what’s to come can be perceived as spoiling the surprise, like a friend shouting out the end of a movie before you get to it, however I do not believe this is necessarily the case. By informing the reader of what is going to happen, he intrigues you, amping up the suspense, making you want to read more to find out how and when it happens. Instead of making me feel as though I no longer need to read – I already know what happens, right? – it actually makes me more interested to read and find out how, and most importantly, WHY it happens.
ReplyDeleteAs Elvina mentioned, this tactic was used as well in Romeo & Juliet, when Shakespeare informed the reader at the beginning that they were going to die. Death did practically the same thing in the Book Thief, stating “***HERE IS A SMALL FACT*** | You are going to die.” (Page 3) This immediate revelation creates a stronger desire in the reader to continue reading and figure out what causes this often tragic, always momentous, event to take place.
This book is very unique due to Death narrating it but, sometimes I totally forget that Death is narrating and when it bursts out those comments and stats I start to remember again. Death narrating makes you look at it with different perspectives but, like I said before once you start getting focused into the book you forget the fact that Death is narrating. It also adds some suspense to the book and makes you think a lot about what is happening. I also like the fact that Death narrates the book as if it has experienced or seen all those events and it is just summarizing its life story. Death really makes this book complete. Death also gives little hints as to what is going to happen next in the novel. It doesn't ruin the way you think because it gives you some time to absorb all the conduct and converting it into your ideas. Death really makes this novel interesting.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Steph and Gurdeep about the Death’s all-knowing-ness; that he seems to already have firsthand knowledge of everything that happens in the book, and is more retelling it than narrating it ‘as’ it happens. Perhaps that is why he has his little “outbursts”, as Steph called them, where he points out little facts in bold font, because he sometimes gets confused about what he’s already told us and what he hasn’t, what he knows that we don’t yet. How else would he be able to point out that someone’s going to die in a couple years, or how he knows “that there was a considerable hiatus between the first stolen book and the second.” (page 30)?
ReplyDeleteIn fact, he even states in the first few pages that the story has already passed and is being retold, hinting that it is not the first time either. His words were, “and in one of my vast array of pockets, I have kept her story to retell.” (page 14)
I just recently read a very interesting section in the story. It starts on page 241 in a short chapter called "The Floating Book (Part 1)" This chapter reveals a huge section of plot, and it details exactly how and when Rudy is going to die. When I first read this, I was actually quite annoyed, regardless of what I said about death as a narrator before, I didn't like this! Then I read the next chapter. In the first sentence death says: "Of course, I'm being rude. I'm spoiling the ending, not only of the entire book, but of this particular piece of it." This goes to show that the author has a deliberate method to his writing style, and he knows exactly what he wants to communicate and when. In using death as the narrator he has a character that is "human", while still being omniscient and able to jump in and out of the action as he pleases.
ReplyDeleteDeath then goes on to explain that mystery bores him, he knows what's going to happen, in fact, quite often so do we. "It's the machinations that wheel us there that aggravate, perplex, interest, and astound me."
When I think about this I realise that the author has snuck the theory behind his writing style in right under our noses. The problem with historical fiction is that ultimately we know what's going to happen, the fact that this book is somewhat removed from a normal historical account helps, but the suspense is lost all the same. By removing the suspense entirely he is able to focus our attention on what he really cares about which is not *what* happens, but why and how it happens.
I really liked from pages 336-338 having Death as the narrator. It was really interesting because in this scene a lot of people died and I enjoyed how he described how he was carrying all the dead people in his fingers. It was intriguing to read about how Death's job really is. Having him as a narrator can truly describe what it's like to be him and how it is tiring for him. He honestly does not seem very fond of his job.
ReplyDeleteI really am beginning to get upset that Death being the "all knowing" narrator is saying things about people who are alive like how they are going to die and the future relationships between them. I now it puts a different spin on the story but in a way it also makes me want to stop reading because i know what happens. I am sure that it is meant to make you want to continue reading the book to find out how they die but (SPOILER ALERT) when I heard that Rudy dies of hypothermia I just put down the book and walked away. Personally I do not like the style of narration.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhen i began to read the book and got a sense of what death would be like when narrating the book, i thought that this book was going to be unique, interesting and quite different from other books. I mean it is different for death to be narrating the story, but i don't find it that different in some parts. In the beginning he told us about himself, what he thought about humans and thoughs little bolded notes he sometimes mentions. This is what got me interested and excited to find out how the book is going to be with such a different perspective. Though, as i kept reading i found that his own opinions about situations got lost. He would just narrate and i think that's the reason why everyone kept forgetting that he was narrating because he stopped making it interesting. The story itself is interesting, just the way he narrates wasn't. Though occasionally he does foreshadow some stuff and makes it interesting with the thoughts of his own life. So, the problem for me is that it just doesn't show that much of Death's character and i would've liked to see it show a bit more.
ReplyDeleteI liked having Death as a narrator at first and I still do but it aggravates me when he ruins the surprise for me like when he tells the readers who's going to die when I'm only 3/4 of the book and the character that is going to die isn't going to die until later on, and what's more annoying is that the narrator knows that the readers aren't going to be pleased with knowing the outcome of the story before it even happens. Don't get me wrong it hasn't made me lose my interest in the book but it still would have been better to wait until whatever it was actually happened instead of Death informing us about what's to come, but in a way it makes me want to read the book until what Death said would happen actually happens, if there was one thing I would change about the narrator it would most likely be the part where he tells us who’s going to die, when the character actually dies a year later.
ReplyDeleteHaving Death as a narrator is definatly different in the sense it hasn't been done before in any book i have read. When i think of Death i don't think of a person i think of just the act of dying. On page 242 after Rudy died, Death says "Even death has a heart." Zusak 242. This is interesting to me because i didn't know death could have a heart or feelings. His jobs is to take away lives, if he 'has' to take lives, why does he take them if even he knows its going to be a very sad and emotional death even for himself. I think this is a very ironic statement.
ReplyDeleteMy opinion on having death as the narrator is i'm not the biggest fan of it. He ruins parts by telling whats going to happen in advance. It kind of sometimes doesn't even seem like it's death being the narrator but someone else. A part i do like about death is that he does seem to show a little compassion to the characters death.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Tiffany said it frustrates me not knowing whether or not death is a boy or a girl. We can all think what we want but i would still rather know if he were a boy or girl forsure.
ReplyDeleteOne of the other things that I really like about this book is that it is told from the German’s perspective. Before I had seen the movie called “Schindler’s List about the German businessman who saved the lives of more than 1000 Jews in Holocaust, but I had never read a book about Second World War or Holocaust that was told from ordinary German people’s perspective. I noticed that when people talk about Holocaust they tend to see it only from Jewish and generally victim’s perspective, highlighting the evilness and cruelty of German people at that time. But we forget that it was a little group of Germans with Hitler at the head of it who started all of it, without asking permission or taking a survey of other ordinary citizens of Germany as to “Should we start a war?” or “Should Jews be destroyed?” I believe many people did not even know the plans and goals behind Nazi’s words and actions. It was all very secret until later when it was too late to change anything. So, by having a story told from usual German family’s point of view, we can clearly see that they are also victims of Hitler’s regime. No one really benefited, except maybe the Hitler and his collaborators, but even they in future will be defeated and very sorry.
ReplyDeleteThe most unique thing about this book is the person telling it "death". I always thought dead would be happy when taking away souls and he wouldn't have feelings towards others. But in this book he has been shown as a person that doesn't like doing his job and he finds interest in Lisel from the start of the story when her brother dies. Also in the story you are told whats going to happen before it actually does and that's made possible because of the story being narrated by death in my opinion because he knows when someones going to die and he appears there. Who says he doesn't now other things before they happen.
ReplyDeleteI have read about the Holocaust and the war many times, throughout my years in school and its always from the point of view of a Jewish person. This is the first time i have read a book from the point of view of a German. You would think its about the same topic and the story would not change that much, but it does. From a Jewish persons point of view your family members are getting killed and taken away because of the Germans and you hear bad things about Hitler. But when the story is being told from the other side you still have family's suffering because their loved ones are fighting but they cheer on Hitler and they are going to Hitler Youth. Reading this book was a great experience for me because it was a change from other books i have read
ReplyDeleteI think that the point of view in this bookis so interesting becuase it is told by someone that knows whats going to happen. I find that so interesting because when death is telling the story he is hinting at whats going to happen but never actually tells you.
ReplyDeleteI think is what makes me want to keep reading.
I get a very clear idea of Max's point of view on pages 279. The picture he drew showed he had completely figured out Hitler and his plan. The picture shows that he understands that Hitler managed to convince almost an entire nation to hate and innocent group of people. It shows Hitler speaking in front of a group of people who look like they support him. The words on the bottom of the page say; "Not the Fuhrer- the conductor!" The people followed him as he was a conductor, and he was leading an orchestra.
ReplyDeleteOn page 280, Max drew a picture of two people (possibly him and Liesel) standing on top of a hill made from the bodies of Jewish people. The sun has a swastika in it. Both the swastika, and the bodies represent the sun shining over a hill. This means that Max saw the swastika(the symbol of Hitler and his followers) proudly looking down at the "defeated", and even overpowering the world. The world counts on the sun, we even depend on it, Max was afraid that Hitler would become like the sun. Also the fact that the people said; "Isn't it a lovely day..." tells me that Max was also afraid that living with Hitler contolling people's minds, would become the way of life and people would become used to it.
ReplyDeleteThere is one thing that I don’t really like about Death, and it’s something that I thought was not going to bother me, but it does. When he gives the reader a little heads up on what is to come further on in the story. I think this is the most aggregating thing a narrator could do. I just want to read the book on my own and have my own predictions and I think that having Death handing out clues along the way really spoils the reading. I don’t mind the comments and the explanations he gives, and actually I find them even helpful in most places but sometimes things get to a point where it is too much.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I enjoy having Death as a narrator. Death observes things differantly than a human narrator would. Death can see the big picture, and has an overall view of it. Death not only explains and descibes the story, but has emotion, and feels the mood that people are in. Having Death occasionally explain what happens in the future adds suspense and curiosity, while some things I wanted to wait and find out on my own. Other times it confused me, and I find myself thinking about that one scene or image from the future throughout the book. Finding out that Rudy dies is an example of all of those. It makes me wonder when, where, and how. While it also sticks with me while I'm reading wondering if it will come soon. I have anticipation, yet I want to put it off. Its scary knowing that tragidy will strike, but you don't know when. I very much wanted Rudy to live. He was mostly a good person, and a good friend to Liesel. I was dissapointed, because I wanted to find out on my own. Now that I know he's going to die, as I'm reading, I have less faith in his and Liesels future.
ReplyDelete