The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Genre: Historical, Young Adult
Pages: 592
Published by: Penguin on 1st September, 2005
Format: Paperback
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Book Synopsis:
When Death has a story to tell, you listen.
It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.
Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who 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 neighbours during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement.
Book Review
I’ve seen this book talked about and rated so highly for years, but never thought I’d actually get around to reading it. That changed when I was sorting through books in the school library the other month and thought, why not? I’ve always found books set during World War II fascinating, so I had a feeling this one was going to get a high rating from me. This review will be fairly short, as I think this is one of those books that speaks for itself.
This is definitely a book that will stay with me for a long time. I found it really interesting that Death narrates the story, as I’ve never read anything quite like it before. The author develops the characters incredibly well, making readers feel attached to them and invested in their stories.
Did I cry? Yes, yes I did! And that’s purely down to Zusak’s writing and the way he brings these characters to life. This book is devastating, heart-breaking, powerful, courageous and compelling. It beautifully captures the strength of the human spirit, even in the darkest of times.
My only criticism is that I think the book was a little too long for what it was. any of its emotional impact. I feel the author could have shortened the book by around 100 pages without losing any of its emotional impact. That’s not to say I found it boring, but I think the author could have wrapped up certain parts a little quicker. Although the author tells the story at a slow pace, they create a beautiful narrative even when little happens.
Overall, I definitely think this book should be read. It’s hard to say whether I’d recommend it to everyone due to the nature of the story, but if you enjoy books set during World War II, I’d definitely suggest giving this one a read. It’s a story that I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
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