Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

"It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still."

    Written from the point of view of Death himself, The Book Thief is definitely an intriguing read. The book mainly follows the young Liesel Meminger, who came to live with the Hubermann's- her foster family, when she was nine years old. As she grows, Liesel develops a passion for words. As someone who doesn't know how to read or write much at all, she is grasping at every chance she sees to expand her knowledge and get her hands on a book- even if that means stealing.

    Times were hard. And with her German "Papa" not being a member of the Nazi party, it became increasingly difficult to find work. Things took an even more interesting turn when Max Vadenburg showed up on the Hubermann's doorstep... He was a Jew. And the Hubermann's were going to hide him.

    This intriguing story is made even more captivating by being told from the omnipresent point of view of Death himself. And during World War II, Death was everywhere. He came across the the tale of Liesel Meminger one day, when he picked up the Book Thief's most prized possession- her own story, that she kept in a journal. The Book Thief is Death's own retelling of Liesel's adventure through life, with some background from Death occasionally added in.

     The Book Thief is an exceptional novel. Zusak did an incredible job developing each one of the characters, and it's really hard not to find yourself growing attached to them. With a great plot like this, it's certainly a page turner that will live on for many years in the hearts of its readers. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a "Thought-provoking, life-altering, triumphant, and tragic" read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and it rightfully earned its place as one of my favorite books of all time! 5 out of 5 noodles!

 

 

 

     About the author: Markus Zusak lives in Sydney, Australia. His book was published in 2005 and has since earned copious amounts of awards. When writing The Book Thief he said that he knew the "Importance of words in that time, and what they were able to make people believe and do." The Book Thief is a New York Times #1 Bestseller, a USA Today Bestseller, and a winner of the Michael L. Printz Honor Book award, among many others.

Author- Markus Zusak

Publisher- Knopf

Publishing date- 2005