Markus Zusak
The Book Thief
Illustrated by Trudy White
Alfred A. Knopf
New York
“It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.” – back cover
Death is an unlikely narrator, an unexpected protagonist and an unwanted hero. Yet in this story, death is all three.
When Liesel Memeinger steals her first book, A Grave Digger’s Handbook, from the snow beside her brother’s grave, she cannot read more than a few rudimentary words and she has no idea what an impact this book will have on her life. All she knows is that it is the last thing to connect her with her brother. She takes the book with her and when she arrives at her new foster family, she hides it under her mattress. Gradually, as she becomes more comfortable with her ‘Mama and Papa’ Liesel begins to trust them and they her. This trust becomes a matter of life and death when a young Jew turns up at the front door in the middle of the night.
This is an amazing story told from Death’s perspective. It give the reader a new appreciation for those Germans forced to do Hitler’s bidding and teaches that nothing is black and white.
I must admit, I did see the movie first but that kindled in me a desire to read the book. Although the movie follows the book closely, the books adds the necessary depth which is difficult to obtain in a movie.
Although this book is classified as Young Adult, it is definitely not confined to this age group. There is enough depth for adults to enjoy reading and appreciating it.
New York
“It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.” – back cover
Death is an unlikely narrator, an unexpected protagonist and an unwanted hero. Yet in this story, death is all three.
When Liesel Memeinger steals her first book, A Grave Digger’s Handbook, from the snow beside her brother’s grave, she cannot read more than a few rudimentary words and she has no idea what an impact this book will have on her life. All she knows is that it is the last thing to connect her with her brother. She takes the book with her and when she arrives at her new foster family, she hides it under her mattress. Gradually, as she becomes more comfortable with her ‘Mama and Papa’ Liesel begins to trust them and they her. This trust becomes a matter of life and death when a young Jew turns up at the front door in the middle of the night.
This is an amazing story told from Death’s perspective. It give the reader a new appreciation for those Germans forced to do Hitler’s bidding and teaches that nothing is black and white.
I must admit, I did see the movie first but that kindled in me a desire to read the book. Although the movie follows the book closely, the books adds the necessary depth which is difficult to obtain in a movie.
Although this book is classified as Young Adult, it is definitely not confined to this age group. There is enough depth for adults to enjoy reading and appreciating it.
