The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
by Jenners • 08/24/2010 • 5 Stars, B Titles, Fiction, Historical, Young Adult, Z Authors • 32 Comments
I usually start my book reviews by writing a story overview to give you a glimpse of what the book is about. And I could do that for this book too …
This is the story novel of a 9-year-old girl named Liesel Meminger who lives with her adoptive parents in World War II Germany in the working-class town of Molching. Given up by her mother to protect her safety, Liesel loses her younger brother on the train ride to Molching. (At his burial, she steals her first book, The Grave Diggers Handbook.) As she grows up on Himmel Street, we get to know Liesel and her accordion-playing adoptive father Hans Hubermann; her stern (but secretly loving) adoptive mother Rosa; her best friend Rudy; the depressed but kind Mayor’s Wife (who passively encourages and abets Liesel’s continuing book theft); and the sad but strong Jewish refugee Max (who is hidden in the Hubermann’s basement).
Set against the backdrop of World War II, we experience the war from Liesel’s point of view—from forced participation in the Hitler Youth, to the stress of sheltering a Jew in your basement, to the importance of seeming to support the Nazis and Hitler when you’re doing everything you can to subvert their atrocities while not being noticed.
…but I don’t really want to do that. Why? Because giving a summary of this book doesn’t convey to you what makes this book so incredibly powerful, amazing, gripping and poetic. It makes the book seem somewhat ordinary when it is anything but. For this is an extraordinary book. What makes it so extraordinary? The narrator. Our narrator, you see, is Death. (Yes … Death. Like the Grim Reaper.) And, as you might expect, Death doesn’t come at a story in the same way as you or I.
I could introduce myself properly, but it’s not really necessary. You will know me well enough and soon enough, depending on a diverse range of variables. It suffices to say that at some point in time, I will be standing over you, as genially as possible. Your soul will be in my arms. A color will be perched on my shoulder. I will carry you gently away.
Death is tired. Death needs a distraction. A vacation. Which is why he notices colors. To Death, Rudy isn’t just a boy. He is the lemon-haired boy. Hans Hubermann isn’t just a man. He is the silver-eyed man (whose eyes begin to rust at his death). But Death notices Liesel … and something about her catches his notice. As Death says:
It’s the story of one of those perpetual survivors—an expert at being left behind.
It’s just a small story really, about, among other things:
A girl
Some words
An accordionist
Some fanatical Germans
A Jewish fist fighter
And quite a lot of thievery
I saw the book thief three times.
From the very first page until the very last, I was completely enchanted by this book. I loved Death’s narration … his bolded, centered asides, his sly sense of humor, his use of imagery and colors, his way of listing the events in the upcoming chapters, his advice for meeting him, the gentle way he holds a soul in his arms.
For me, Zusak’s choice of narrator and the way he tells the story elevates this book from “another World War II novel” to a shimmering, dazzling prism of light that reflects our humanness back to us. If you can’t tell already, I loved this book. Loved it. When you read a lot of books, you’re always hoping for one that will surprise you, tell you a story in a unique way, or open your eyes to what a writer can do with words. For me, The Book Thief was one of those books.
Upon starting it, I immediately regretted that I hadn’t read it sooner. What if Death had come for me before I got to read it? Then it became a book that I didn’t want to end. Although it is 576 pages, I found something to love and linger over on each page. And although I’m not a person who likes to reread books, I know I will revisit this one again. So, if you haven’t read it yet, don’t delay. It is a wondrous book—brimming with love and dazzling in its inventiveness and words. Perfection.
What are other book bloggers saying about this book? Find out at the Book Blogs Search Engine.
A Brief Aside: For some reason, this book is always classified as a Young Adult novel, which I feel might turn off some readers. Do not let this label fool you into thinking there is anything simplistic about this book. If this is YA book, then it is the pinnacle of the genre. In my mind, I don’t see it needing to be labeled as such, and I fear that such a label might keep some readers away from it. Don’t make that mistake!
The Whys and Wheres: I bought this book for my Kindle because I needed a Z Author for my A to Z Challenge, and I’d seen other book bloggers raving about how much they loved this book. To think that I might have passed it by or somehow not read it if I hadn’t done a silly reading challenge gives me the shivers.
When I started this book, I didn't think I'd like it. The writing style is different, the narrator is different. But I soon realized these things were exactly why I loved it. It's one of my all-time faves. I'll link to your review on the WWII book reviews page of War Through the Generations.
Love, love, love this book. I'm so glad that you read and loved it too! It's one that's so hard to describe, I just tell everyone to read it.
Aren't reading challenges great for making you try something new? I am looking forward to reading this someday.
I bought THE BOOK THIEF, but haven't yet read it! Even carted it back and forth on vacation with me. I must move it up in the stack (and will admit that the YA designation put me off a bit, so I appreciate your nudge to just go ahead and read it!)
I bought the book for me last year and my husband read it before I got around to it. He loved it and he usually doesn't like YA. He did such a great job of reviewing it on my blog that I felt like there was no way I'd ever be able to write a review with that much depth. I just have to realize that my reviewing style is completely different than his. Anyway, I've been waiting to be in the right mood to read it because my husband said it was haunting and sad, and it takes a lot for a book to affect him that way.
a gorgeous book, huh? i read it when it first came out and loved it then, love it now…. glad you enjoyed it!
Great Review. I also LOVED this book. I just read it (for the first time) back in May. Normally, once I read a book, I pass it on to friends or list it on paperback swap. However, I couldn't do that to this book. I know that there is just something special about this book, and I NEED it on my bookcase.
Love your blog!
I really need to read this; so many bloggers I idolize love it (present company included). The worst part: it's sitting on my shelf waiting for me to finish all these books I have to read….
Your review is wonderful. If I hadn't already read the book and LOVED it as much as you I would be rushing out to buy it after reading what you've written. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I know the book will stay with me for a long, long time and like you I have plans to reread it in the future.
This is a book I judged by it's cover while in a book shop and I'm so glad I did! I thoroughly enjoyed The Book Theif
I really enjoyed this book, but I think it had been hyped a bit too much by the time I read it and so I didn't fall in love with it as much as I probably should have done. It is an amazing book and I can still remember many of the details many years on. It has probably crept up to five stars now, despite the fact I wouldn't have given that many when I had just finished it. I'm pleased to see that you loved it
Fantastic review! Really! I read this a little over a year ago and raved about it too. Loved the idea of using Death as the narrator and it is written so well you tend to forget who is talking….
I remember a part where soldiers are passing in a car and it talks about him jumping on the soldiers back. I am thinking, 'who jumped on his back?" and then remembered – oh yes, Death is.
This was such an amazing book!!! I loved it when it first came out and I should def. re-read it soon!
I am actually anxious to re-read this book. It took me three different times to read the beginning; the voice of "death" was not what I expected.
I think this is one of those books that with each re-reading, more depth is discovered.
This is one of my all-time favorite books. I absolutely agree- the summary does no justice to the story. It is so, so good!
I'm so glad you finally read this book! My husband and I both loved it!! Think you can get your husband to read it? After all, he might be looking for something to read. (did he ever cave and read the one you downloaded secretly??)
I LOOOVVEEED The Book Thief! Death as narrator was a brilliant idea! Loved reading your review and seeing what you thought about the story
Yay! You finally read it! See…I told you
I love this book too though I listened to it on audio and it was very well done. Such a beautiful book.
I recently got this one from the library, after reading a few glowing reviews..and in a bit of confusion, accidentally returned it unread! but I will get it again.
Amazing review, I really want to try this one out.
I am trying Hunger Games and surprising am enjoying it so maybe this will be next.
Great review Jenners.
Well, crap, I bought this book at the last book fair and has been sitting on my shelves (probably because of the number of pages?) for six months. See this is why I'm not signing up for challenges next year. I would read this book next if it weren't for the fact that I'm sucking at a couple of my challenges.
I think that's one of the beauties of challenges – they push you in directions that you might not have gone otherwise. Carl is reading this book right now.
I was actually pretty surprised the first time I saw this in the YA section. But I think it usually gets cross-filed so it's in both.
I loved this book as well. You must read Zuzak's I Am the Messenger.
Loved this book as well. Great review.
Awesome review Jenners. I loved the audio version.
I could not agree more – one of my favourite books of all times, I have read, re-read and read this book again and again. So original I loved it from beginning until end.
I remember when this first came out and was getting rave reviews. I tried it but I couldn't really get into it at the time. I think it may have been because I was moving and didn't really have the attention and time to devote to it. I keep meaning to pick it back up though.
Is it very evil of me to think that missing out on books like this is a fair punishment for those who flat out dismiss YA?
I loved this book, and I'm so glad you did too!
I love this one too. It is so thoroughly original and completely more than "another WWII story."
Your review is exceptional too I think and really captures what is magic about the book. Many thanks for sharing it
I read this book last year and I also loved it. I loved Liesel and all of the characters. Great review!