Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

"The Book Thief" has been on my library shelf for sometime now just waiting for me to peruse the pages.  Finally, I chose to make it my selection and began reading yesterday. Today I made it to page 195.  Very rarely do I not finish a book but this novel is so painfully slow that forcing myself to continue is out of the question.  In reading the many reviews again, with an overall 4 1/2 star rating, I'm baffled by their positive comments.  Most books have a least some redeeming value but the only one I can find for this book is the credit I will get at the used book store.
 
SYNOPSIS
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, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new 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. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.
 
RATING - 1 STAR