Giving the Diary of Anne Frank a one star rating is not a politcally correct thing to do. It's not that I don't value this book, because I do. It's an incredibly important work, and there is nothing in the way that Anne wrote her story that warrants this kind of a rating. Her diary is a five star book. Everyone should read this at some point in their life.
My rating probably isn't so much for this book as it is for the emotions this stirred up in me. As most of my friends know, nothing cuts me so deeply as violence done to children. It tears at my heart, and so I try to avoid books in which violence is done to kids. Anne's story ends with her death at the hands of the Nazis. This lovely, vivacious girl suffered horrors that I can't even imagine, and she witnessed things that nobody, let alone a child should ever have to witness! I appreciate the historical and literary value of this book. But I would be lying if I said I liked it. It was heartbreaking--I hated reading this when I was in school, and I've avoided this book ever since. I simply can't handle this book.