The Book Thief

Title: The Book Thief
Author: Markus Zusak
Publisher: Knopf Books
Year of Publication: 2006 (first published 2005)
Reader's Rating: 4.9

The Book Thief is a historical fiction, set in Nazi Germany during World War II, and is narrated by Death.

Excerpt: "I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn't already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race-that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant." 

"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" 

In a Nutshell: Liesel Meminger was only nine years old when her brother died and her mother left her in the care of foster parents, a silver-eyed father and a swearing but loving mother, and disappeared. On that day, a book was left lying in the snow, with Liesel picking it up. The Grave Digger's Handbook. Not an interesting choice, but it started and kindled her love for books. Liesel soon learns to read, with the help of her foster father, and since then, has loved books and words, stealing them and taking them in from anywhere, whether from the Nazi book-burnings or from the rich mayor's library, anywhere. But her life is changed when her foster parents decide to hide a Jew in their basement. She then realizes how powerful words are and how powerfully they can destroy.

The Good Stuff: Have you ever heard of Owl City, the singer of Fireflies? Have you listened to many of his songs? Did you notice how crafted and poetic they sounded? The Book Thief is written exactly like that. The scenes and the events are so richly described, and so poetically. So that's definitely a good thing for me. Also, the story. It was so wonderfully written and it was so touching and kind of horrifying in a way. It not only told of the adventures of someone living during the Holocaust; it was deep. It was a very good read.

The Not-So-Good Stuff: The constant swearing! Like I said in my previous review, WWII books usually contain a lot of swearing, but this book had the most. I winced every time I read those darn swear words (even though most of them were in a different language). It was a big turn-off, but, really, it was their (the Germans') culture to swear a lot and usually, they're meant to be friendly, like Liesel calling her best friend Saukerl (I think that's sort of a male pig of some kind). But still, I'd have given this book a 5 if it wasn't for the swear words. :( It also has kissing, but only once. :(

Reader's Say: I loved this book. I absolutely loved it (it's just those stupid swear words and the kissing). I do have to say something about it, and it's this: if you like happy endings, if you like sugar-coated stories, if you don't want to know about what the Germans did before, then do not read this book. I have to say that it was so sad. I almost cried! I felt heartbroken when *he/she/they* died (don't worry, I won't be saying who). I also got kind of annoyed at the author because he put who died in the middle of the book! Haha! But other than that, I absolutely loved it so much. It was heartwarming and touching and everything else rolled into one. With what I said about the swearing, you probably won't want to read it but please do. It's a very nice story.