The Book Thief

[tilly]

Free book

Pick up your free copy of The Book Thief, with the newspaper this Sunday, February 23, from more than 1,200 stores nationwide.


To celebrate the release of The Book Thief, in cinemas Wednesday, February 26, the Telegraph has teamed up with Black Swan, a Penguin Random House company and Twentieth Century Fox to offer readers a free copy of the book, by Markus Zusak.


The Book Thief tells the story of Liesel, an extraordinary and courageous young girl sent to live with a foster family in World War II Germany. She learns to read with encouragement from her new family and Max, a Jewish refugee who they are hiding under the stairs. For Liesel and Max, the power of words and imagination become the only escape from the tumultuous events happening around them.


The Book Thief, a major film, directed by Brian Percival and starring Sophie Nelisse, Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson, is released in cinemas Wednesday, February 26, 2014.


How to claim
See the newspaper on Sunday, February 23, 2014 for details of how to pick up the book from Martin's, McColl's and RS McColl stores nationwide

[RevKeith39]

This was a film that had slipped under my radar, as had the book it is based on. So glad that I saw it. It is a truly memorable film. The acting of all is superb - special mention for Emily Watson, whose character is initially so disagreeable but then thaws - and the drama is enhanced by the music score, at times Mahlerian in tone. The 'narrator' is done so very well! My only quibble was with the decision to have the German characters speak English with a German accent. I gather this has been a common complaint. However, my partner said this worked for her; it helped her to concentrate on the fact that the suffering participants were our enemies. I thought this was a perceptive remark and made me reassess my own response. I had thought the film might be a shade too long, but this was not the case. It will be a special film that beats this one in 2014 [and yes I have seen 12 years a slave]

9/10

[LiteupLee]

I loved this film and I was expecting to dislike it mainly due to the length of it. I'm not a fan of the longer films, unless they are done really well and this was. Found the narrator/death odd at first, a bit play school/singy-songy, but then thought what a lovely way to think of death rather than the usual Grim Reaper!! Thought the cast were superb. The girl playing Liesel was amazing. Found her face mesmerising, hope to see a lot of her in the future. Seeing the "enemy" as suffering humans beings like the brit's in this war made such an impact, I find that side is often forgotten as Hitler and his crones are always thrust upon us in history lessons etc so, as was said by RevKeith, speaking English with accents really worked for me. Excellently done film.

[d-cameron]

I loved this book and had the usual double edged reaction on seeing the book had been made into a film... will it destroy the story or give a good account? I have to say I was very pleased with the film. It covered the story from the book well and the presentation of the time and the actors were excellent, especially the young leads.

[pamatrushington]

I thought the film was excellent. The young actors were remarkable. Geoffrey Rush was superb as expected.
The film was as close to the book as it could have been

[scootermcc]

Thought that this was really good, apart from the dubious accents.

8/10

Here's my review: http://www.cinemabang.com

[kkennedy]

Was not looking forward to this film but really enjoyed it even had a little cry 8/10

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

What a gorgeous production. I felt like I knew every corner of that little German village. If anyone asking for directions I could tell them how to get to the lake where no one can hear you shout at the top of your lungs any forbidden words that would normally get you shot, or how to get to the village school. The village felt so intimate. The twelve year old me suddenly emerged out of my subconscious, longing to join Rudy and Liesel to play games with and to join Lisa on her derry do book thieving.

The film was very engaging and it was necessarily cruel too. I appreciated that necessity, after all its set during the atrocity of World War 2. There wouldnt be a story without that. But somehow I didnt feel satisfied. Something was missing. It was episodic which is fine, that gives it an epic journey but it just didnt feel whole. I wanted more story, I wanted more purpose to everything happening. By the end I felt some of my love violently stripped away somehow. Interesting developments happened in the film that didnt mount to a great deal narrative-wise. I have not read the novel but I strongly sense something is lost.

My favourite character was Rudy. [spoiler]So naturally, his death was extremely heartbreaking for me, especially the way died, he never got that kiss (alive) and never got to finish his important sentence "I LO..." which obviously was going to be "I Look like shite". Perhaps it was necessary for the story but it was much too harsh for me.[/spoiler]

The performance were lovely. I have to say one thing though. I dont give a toss about how well an actor or actress pulls off an accent in any film. As long as their performance shines or is heartfelt then that is all that matters to me. I find no point in picking on accents. So in regards to the accents in this film...well, if I wanted the most authentic, then they should be speaking bloody German...but they are not because the film is geared towards an English speaking audience. I worked with German colleagues for 10 years both here and in Munich and so I can detect the flaws in the actors' accents (particurly the main female lead) but it doesnt bother me one bit. We watch movies for entertainment and good performances not for precise authenticities.

One other thing that is refreshing about this film is that we get a German perspective of one of the World Wars. I think I have only seen 2 films giving the German perspective of the wars. Both great classics. One being Das Boot and the other All Quiet on the Western Front. One, depicts the journey and survival of soldiers in a U-boat, the other on the trenches and here, from the perspective of German villagers would round off a good German trilogy from all perspectives. If any arthouse cinema owner wants an idea for a program trilogy, may I suggest these films. Allsinging, you reading this?

I loved most of the film, it was sumptuous, in parts tense and other parts, heartbreaking but sadly, it didnt feel like a whole movie and so I felt somewhat unsatisfied by the end which is my biggest heartbreak. Pity.

7.5/10

[Kerry_norwich1986]

I truly loved this film - I'd highly recommend this x

[karenlg123]

Only just got round to seeing this movie last night and I'm glad I did. Good story. No big surprises but well acted and directed. Rush was excellent and I loved the development of Rosa's character through the film. For me, those two characters and Max were the best in the film. Well worth seeing. 7\10