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The Book Thief

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'The Book Thief' by Markus Zusak is a poignant and unique tale set in Nazi Germany, narrated by Death. The story follows Liesel Meminger, a young girl who finds solace and escape in stolen books during the horrors of war. Through the perspective of Death, readers are taken on a journey through the lives of Liesel and the characters around her, highlighting the power of words, the resilience of the human spirit, and the complexities of life during a dark period in history.

The writing style of 'The Book Thief' is described as poetic, descriptive, and hauntingly beautiful. The use of Death as the narrator adds a distinct and engaging element to the storytelling, providing a different perspective on the events unfolding in Nazi Germany. The characters are portrayed as real and flawed, with their stories intertwining in a way that captures the essence of human connection and survival amidst adversity.

Characters:

The characters are richly developed and complex, each portraying distinct traits and growth throughout the narrative.

Writing/Prose:

The prose is poetic and rich, narrated by Death with a unique perspective, employing vivid imagery and interesting narrative devices such as foreshadowing.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot centers around Liesel Meminger in Nazi Germany, exploring her journey through loss, friendship, and the significance of literature amidst the backdrop of World War II.

Setting:

Set in Nazi Germany during WWII, mainly in the fictional town of Molching, the setting juxtaposes ordinary life with the backdrop of a tumultuous historical period.

Pacing:

The pacing maintains a steady flow with short chapters, balancing moments of tension and reflection, though it may feel slow at times.
When the coughing stopped, there was nothing but the nothingness of life moving on with a shuffle, or a near-silent twitch. A suddenness found its way onto his lips then, which were a corroded brown c...

Notes:

The Book Thief is narrated by Death, adding a unique perspective to the story.
The main character, Liesel, becomes a book thief after stealing her first book at her brother's funeral.
Liesel's foster parents are Hans and Rosa Hubermann, who have contrasting personalities: Hans is kind and nurturing, while Rosa is harsh but caring.
The story explores themes of friendship, love, death, and the power of words against the backdrop of WWII.
Liesel develops a close bond with Max Vandenburg, a Jewish man hiding in her family's basement, emphasizing the moral dilemmas of the time.
The book uses vivid imagery, often describing colors linked to emotions and scenes.
Liesel's experiences illustrate the struggles and fears of ordinary Germans living under the Nazi regime, challenging stereotypes about that time period.
The novel is structured into ten parts, with each part containing brief and engaging chapters, making it easy to digest.
Death hints at tragic events throughout the narrative, helping readers prepare for the emotional impact of the story.
The novel has been highly praised and regarded as a significant work of both young adult and literary fiction.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings for The Book Thief include themes of death, child trauma, grief, anti-Semitism, and the violence of war.

From The Publisher:

It's 1939 in Molching, Germany, and horror is everywhere. Nazi rule has divided the nation into those who are brutalized and those who are merely oppressed. Hunger, fear, and isolation reign. There are stories here, and who better to tell them than Death? Gathering souls, Death observes the many mysteries of human nature. How can people be cruel and kind, sad and joyful, bitter and beautiful, loving and inhumane...all at the same time? Death is especially struck by young Liesel Meminger, a nine-year old girl who faces loss, abandonment, and hopelessness. Yet Liesel finds refuge from her nightmares with her foster mother, who always seems to make the right decision, even in the face of so much wrong; with her foster father, who introduces her to the power of words and books; and with a secret friend, who teaches her how to overcome her fears through telling her own story.

Celebrating the way that books and stories unite people in the face of tragedy, this haunting, weighty, and transformative book is impossible to forget.

Ratings (641)

Incredible (172)
Loved It (247)
Liked It (125)
It Was OK (59)
Did Not Like (33)
Hated It (5)

Reader Stats (1113):

Read It (645)
Currently Reading (7)
Want To Read (342)
Did Not Finish (25)
Not Interested (94)

16 comment(s)

Liked It
4 days

writing tyle

 
Loved It
1 week

This is a touching story told by Death of a girl lost, found and brought to life by the power of words. Liesel is a young German girl living during World War 2 with her adopted parents. Although she knows of the war and Hitler, it is not until her home is visited by a young Jewish man named Max that the reality of war comes crashing into her life. This was pretty good read and I wanted to find out how Liesel's story ends as well of Death's fixation with Liesel's.

 
Incredible
3 weeks

For some reason, I was a little iffy about reading this book at first. (I think the quirky writing style threw me off - and the fact that the main character is Death.) Just ignore any doubt in your mind and read it. You'll love it. To be honest, I can't even write words that do this book justice. It was stunning.

 
Incredible
1 month

One of my favorite books! I like to read the beginning of the book out loud for fun and to relive reading it. Markus Zusak is a great story writer! I like how he depicts Death in such a poetic way. It at first left me confused when I read the Prologue the first time and then it made sense as I read on. This book gave me a unique perspective on WWII through the choice of the main character, Liesel, and where she lived during the war. It also taught me about history through the reason behind the title of the book. That fact is not often highlighted in education. I can also say that the book is in fact better than the movie in this case!

 
1 month

I feel that too many people are forgetting that this is a work of fiction when reviewing this. They are so obsessed with the facts surrounding the time setting and place of the story that they don't take in the story itself.

I personally stay away from books of this nature for many reasons. To clarify on the "books of this nature," I mean books that are fiction placed in real world settings. I know that that can be difficult to stay away from all the time but I do my best.

The writing was okay. I did find some spelling and grammar errors in the book whether intentional or editing mistakes can be debated freely. The character of Death being the narrator, did give me some pause but fit well in this case.

The descriptions and comparisons did cause me to pause and question things. Many made no sense and threw off whatever flow the reading had. The use of random German words also did not seem to fit. Most were swear or derogatory so it seemed more of a way for the author to keep this classified a YA novel.

After all the nitpicking though I did enjoy the story itself. I read the book over several hours straight so I would say it's not a quick read but not one that will drag out either.

This story is more of one that the reader takes away what they want to. It is one that the reader has to decide if the book was worth it or a waste of time (as it is with all books) but I feel that this one even more so.

 
Incredible
3 months

Library loan. Kindle lending - enabled, can request to borrow at http://www.booklending.com

This is a wonderful book. I'm not sure exactly what makes it a YA or children's novel instead of just great literature. The characterization is amazing, the story heartbreaking. This is a tearjerker. I must warn you, there are only one or two books in my life that have ever made me cry, and I was sobbing for several pages of this one.

The pacing of the story is good but detailed and the poetic prose slowed me down in a good way. I enjoyed all of the details though and wasn't in a hurry to get through it. Heart-wrenching realistic historical fiction. Nazi Germany shown through a child's eyes.

 
Incredible
6 months

One of the most powerful books I've ever read. The book literally tells you what's going to happen MULTIPLE times right at the start and it doesn't make the ending hit any softer.

 
Loved It
6 months

Narrated by Death, a friendy Death

 
Liked It
6 months

Bring the tissues for this one! Very well written and moving, about a non-nazi german girl in nazi germany and her adopted family.

 
Incredible
6 months

The "Book Thief " amazed me .♡Great book ♡♡♡

 
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About the Author:

Markus Zusak is the award-winning, #1 bestselling author of The Book Thief, I Am the Messenger, Fighting Ruben Wolf, and Getting the Girl. His newest, much-anticipated novel, Bridge of Clay, will release in October 2018. He lives in Sydney, Australia,…

 
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