It did leave the reader with so many questions. I wondered for a moment if Zusak was leaving the door open to write a companion book about Max and about Liesel going forward. That final line for me was not enough. I felt it actually quite poorly written as compared to the care and flavor given so many other minor events. I think my Ken & Barbie hugged and cried and fell to the floor a number of times. Am I being too critical?
No, I don't think you are. It's the three of us all feeling very similarly here. With much love and praise for the many gems in this book, there is a definite feeling of being let down by how the author finished his story. I'm curious to see, if I could find an interview with the author and he'd been asked specifically about the ending, what reasons he has given for his artistic choices. I'm also very curious about how the film tackles the ending.
Important question: can the ending of a fantastic story/book/film/tv series actually ruin the whole thing?
I think my answer would be a resounding no.
Like Moonchime said, how to end a great story lays huge pressure on the creators. Not all of them will get it right. Or their ending might not sit well with us, personally. I think we can still give full credit to parts of the story that has enchanted us previously.
Even with my frustration with the ending on this occasion, I'm delighted I have read this book. I feel many parts of it has been a tremendous gift to me. So with all that gratitude and deep appreciation we have reflected on the book, I think it's perfectly ok to criticise what didn't work for us. In fact we must. Being critical is vital.
So you've already seen the film before, Lori?
Another important question: did that influence how you've envisioned the characters whilst reading the story? Or did you end up picturing them different?
One other important question to both of you (and anyone else who will follow us here eventually): did you feel there were tiny little seeds sawn for a potential future romantic connection between Max and Liesel? You already know what I think. I thought that was one of the most beautiful things about this story.
... but the story has still left me with a feeling of tragic loss with the deaths of Hans and Rudy in particular. I wanted the writer to show us somehow that they have "lived on" in Liesel. That their lives mattered beyond their actual deaths. That's one of the important things I was missing from the ending of the story.
It very much did and I agree this is a huge hole and oversight by the author who, by the time the ending came, must have had his head spinning! It is interesting to me that some authors write from the ending backwards. If Mr. Zusak did not do this, I think it would have been beneficial in this particular case to intricately write an expansive walk out. Yet, I agree with you that this blunt ending does not undermine the work completely. There were so many inspired moments and interactions.
I did see the movie first, but that was many years ago. I remembered the whole story, in that survival was sparse, but it did not color my perception of the characters. I think it did cast a bit of a pall on each sorrow as I knew these lives were fleeting. I don't recall what differences the movie had from the book.
Dee, you'd also pondered if one can really recover from the events Liesel suffered. I don't think so, but I believe some people can carry these things. How would it be possible not to be incredibly damaged by these turn of events? It seems grief is not something that goes away - it can only be carried. Some people appreciate life and hold it tighter knowing it is fragile, while others crumble and cannot bear the weight. I think for us the fact Liesel remains a child in our mind with all that sorrow is difficult to accept because the author did not give us closure via revealing fully her path forward.
One other important question to both of you (and anyone else who will follow us here eventually): did you feel there were tiny little seeds sawn for a potential future romantic connection between Max and Liesel? You already know what I think. I thought that was one of the most beautiful things about this story.
Yes, I entertained that sweet possibility but tamped it down a bit as I was so enjoying this human interaction between two people without the overt bent of possible romantic future overtones. I felt proud of the author for giving this to Liesel - almost as a nod of respect. (Perhaps the movie came into play here too - not sure. I don't remember how the filmmaker treated this relationship - it would be fun to compare.) I wouldn't have been surprised or disappointed had the author gone there, however. The setup would truly have been perfect for an eventual coupling.
I like what you say about the tentative potential hint of a romantic possibility, Lori. I'm glad you've enjoyed it too. I love how this gives this beautiful connection between the two characters a shimmering little sparkle. Just one more dimension to the already super complex relationship.
I'm really curious how this will come across in the film, I'm planning to watch it this weekend!
This was so interesting! He started out wanting to write 100 pages and the love of the thing carried him to 500! I'm happy for his success. It is a measure of art if one would create regardless of a response or outcome. It's fascinating to hear the little stories passed down in his own family that became the seeds of this book.
Yes I think it's a good visual of how I imagined Death to be - there's a gentleness in its demeanor that I like and find non-threatening. Where did you find it Mz Dee?
It has turned up on my Tumblr homepage, put up by someone I follow because of TWD...
I've then googled the artist, and he appears to have been obsessed with painting images of death, but none of the others have grabbed me. Like you said, this one has a gentleness yet matter-of-factness about him. I'm glad it has resonated with you too, Moonchime.
The painter has done some pretty good landscapes, but I don't much care for his expressionist/symbolist stuff.
1. Guilt is a recurring theme in the novel. Hans Hubermann’s life was spared in France during World War I, and Erik Vandenburg’s life was taken. Explain why Hans feels guilty about Erik’s death. Guilt is a powerful emotion that may cause a person to become unhappy and despondent. How does Hans channel his guilt into helping others. Explain Max Vandenburg’s thought, “Living was living. The price was guilt and shame.” (p. 208) Why does he feel guilt and shame?
This was one of the discussion starters Lori has posted here.
It's a very interesting topic, not only in discussing this particular book, but in general.
Everything we ever do has a consequence. Sometimes bad things can happen following a completely routine action. Something we might do every single day. Sometimes a bad thing happens to a person we are trying to be kind to.
Erik wanted to give his friend a break. That act of kindness was meant to give him just a little breather from the shitfest of the war. In the end it gave him his life. Why would Hans feel guilty? Had Erick not put him forward, they would have both died. Perhaps he should have thought of nominating his friend before Erik stepped in. In retrospect, yes, he could have saved his friend's life. But there again, something bad might have happened to the person who was given the writing job... a bomb could have hit there... The thing is, they weren't to know. We never know. We can always make a good guess and act to be kind to the best of our abilities, but we can never know the outcome. We might make things worse with the best intentions.
With Hans we are talking about guilt over his friend's sacrifice for him. He died whilst Hans lived... he feels it's not fair. Erik was kinder, he should have lived. Hans can't help the guilt, but this is the mildest form of guilt in the book. It has made Hans, an already kind person, even kinder.
Max's guilt is a lot worse. He was offered a way out from the threat of labour camp and most likely death, that meant leaving his family behind to face these horrors without him. He chose to save himself rather than resign to perish with the rest of his family. Even if his mother was practically pushing him through the door. This is a much heavier burden to carry. The guilt of putting yourself first, leaving people behind.
So Max's guilt will never ever go away. It really is the price of his life. With Hans, it was more of a driving force to live upto his friend's nobility and generosity of spirit, to make himself worthy of the life that his kindness has gifted him.
