The extraordinary #1 New York Times bestseller that is now a major motion picture, Markus Zusak’s unforgettable story is about the ability of books to feed the soul.
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 … 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 neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement.
In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak, author of I Am the Messenger, has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.
From the Hardcover edition.
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Excellent story and the interesting approach of how the author writes his chapters. So original and packed with emotions that grips you daily. I read the 10th anniversary edition as a birthday present this winter after I published “The Forgotten Note” and wildfires in Sonoma valley. It gave me so much hope and inspiration. I learned what it takes to be of this calibur in historical fiction writing. Outstanding work! Thank you!
I’m a voracious reader. This will always be my favorite read. Book even better than the movie.
The ‘soul collector ‘ will life your soul.
The Book Thief is a thought-provoking novel set in Nazi Germany. The narrator is Death himself, which was surprising but not unpleasant or morbid, and I believe that this was a good choice on the author’s part. The picture painted by the words of Death, based on the words of the Book Thief herself that he carries around with him, is grim yet hopeful as the Book Thief watches her world crumble away only to be rebuilt by people she is unsure of. Her story has its ups and downs, and though there are moments when sadness and despair creep up, there are also moments of unparalleled joy and delight, which are things that occur in everybody’s lives at some point or another.
I would recommend ‘The Book Thief’ to anybody who enjoys realistic historical fictions, the story of Nazi Germany, or even those who like a good coming-of-age story. With rich characters and a believable narrative, this book is a highly enjoyable read.
The grim reaper himself narrates The Book Thief, which is probably appropriate for any book set in World War II Germany. As he himself notes, there was no shortage of work for him in that time and in that place.
It is with a sense of foreboding, then, that the reader dives into the story of Liesel Meminger, a 10-year-old foster girl who is haunted by her brother’s death and mother’s absence. Taken in by Rosa and Hans Hubermann, Liesel becomes especially close to her accordion-playing foster father who teaches her to read and, in so doing, gives her an abiding love for books so strong that she will stop at nothing to obtain them.
This is Liesel’s story, but the backdrop, of course is World War II. Some of the Hubermann’s neighbors are Nazis, some are undecided, and some are decidedly not. Each must navigate the war carefully; each must eventually face the music of the falling bombs.
The Book Thief is a rare book, with a unique – and searing – perspective. Markus Zusak’s greatest accomplishment in writing it is undoubtedly the way in which he humanizes the German people, telling their story from the perspective of those too young to fully grasp what is happening but caught just the same, as the grim reaper reminds us early and often, in the mounds of rubble.
Although classified as a Young Adult (YA) book, I can easily recommend The Book Thief to young and old alike. This is a remarkable novel, one that will undoubtedly figure on my “best of” list at the end of the year.
(This review was originally published at http://www.thisyearinbooks.com/2015/03/the-book-thief.html)
Very well written with quirky, entertaining characters and an amazing story.
I was drawn in more with each word I read
My favorite book. This story is amazing. I love the perspective.
This book is a must-read. And especially for younger people who are far enough away from the events of Nazi Germany that they dont understand what it was like for the German people living there. Not all people-probably not even half-agreed with what was going on, but to say so was very dangerous. This is a book that is staying in my library!
I found this book thought provoking as I considered what life would be like for a child in Nazi Germany and for children now days in war zones.
Great read! it’s a bit hard to get into the style at first, but I’m so glad I stuck with it. I loved the characters!
The narrator provides the most captivating tale and holds the story all together.
One of my favorites. I read. It twice for my book club. I missed so much the first reading. Death played a large role in this story and I totally missed all the references the first time. Read it cadefully.
I almost never write reviews….but DO NOT PASS THIS BOOK UP. I hardly read historical fiction books….but this is my all time favorite book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
As the main narrator says near the end, “I am haunted by humans.” Likewise, I am haunted by this book. Every time I come across it in the library, I re-read the last chapter. It’s a very moving book.
The use of Death as narrator is so original and compelling. This book is heart-stopping, heart-crushing and also heart-healing. It has many themes of course, but among them the power of the word and of reading stands out to me as an author. Writers like Markus Zusak, brilliant, compelling, original, are the reason I wouldn’t ever presume to dip my toe in the waters of “Literary fiction.”
I loved the main characters, while also learning about what was happening in Germany during World War II. And the narrater was quite original, I thought!
If you saw the movie DON’T set this book aside! Movie makers removed the main character from their story which caused the movie to be boring and scattered! The setting of this book is WWII, but on the outskirts of the battles and has a fresh look at the children who were swept up in one of the programs that Hitler used to further his choke hold on his own citizens. Without giving the story away too much, it is written in third person narrative, which the “by whom” makes it haunting and interesting, as well as, captivating. One of my favorite books!!
Whenever I’m asked about a favorite book, this is one of those I recommend automatically. Told from the perspective of Death, this unusual WWII tale is like nothing else I’ve ever read.
One of my most favorite books. An amazing WWII story. It was made into a movie.
Great story of how children and parents of poverty were forced to deal with the hazzards of living in war torn Europe during WWII.