The Book Thief

The Book Thief. Markus Zusak. Alfred A. Knopf. 2005. 550 pages. Source: Audio Library

First sentence: First the colors.  Then the humans.  That's usually how I see things.

Plot: It is 1939 Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath.

Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

By her brother's graveside, Liesel Meminger's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Grave Digger's Handbook, left there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordion-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.

But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up and closed down.

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.

My thoughts: There are lots of books about WWII from different points of view.  The Nazi soldier, the sympathizer, the Jew, the decendents but never have I read it from Death's point of view.  With Death being the Narrator you can be sure it doesn't have an especially happy ending.

I don't take these subjects very lightly but this was a great read.  Two children, Liesel and Rudy, are for the most part the main two characters in the story.  They have a strong friendship and they share just about everything.  Everything except a hidden Jew in Liesel's basement.  The children survive through this awful time the best way that they can.  That sometimes has them stealing food.  Liesel also steals books. Probably because it helps her to get through each day with something to read.

Then comes the day when Death visits very close to Liesel.  She is left to start over again at the age of 14 with another "foster mother".