Book Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

If you have yet to experience the heartbreakingly beautiful masterpiece that is The Book Thief, do yourself a favour and pick it up ASAP.
“His soul sat up. It met me. Those kinds of souls always do - the best ones.”
The Book Thief is a story narrated by Death, and when Death tells a story, you really have to listen. In WWII-Nazi Germany, following the death of her brother and being separated from her mother, Liesel Meminger goes to live with a poor foster family on Himmel Street. In such dangerous times, the family hide a Jew down in their basement and a beautiful friendship based on books and reading develops.

The Book Thief is a story about the power of words. Back in WWII, Hitler used the power of words to spread hatred, whereas our protagonist Leisel claims the words back and uses them in their most powerful way, for friendship and love.

So many beautiful characters live within these pages...my favourites being Hans, Rudy and Max. All very interesting and rich and well-developed. Hans, Leisel’s foster father, stood out most of all - his relationship with Liesel was simply beautiful. As a reader, you never forget the bond you form with the person who encourages your love for words and books, and Liesel received this encouragement not only from Hans, but also from Max, the Jew they have hidden in their basement. I also found myself appreciating Rosa, her foster mother, even more this time around. She’s a character who seems quite harsh on the surface, but is actually brimming with love on the inside.

One of my favourite things about this book is that it is narrated by Death. I loved this unique idea from Zusak and I really enjoyed the beautifully poetic way in which Death narrates the story. You can almost feel Death lingering over the story, similar to how Death lingered over those who lived back then in Nazi Germany - you knew death was coming, you just didn't know when or for who.

It’s hard to convey how much I love this book. I literally adore everything about it - the writing, the characters, the story, the message. It has been firmly cemented in my top 10 books of all time.

Johann
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