For the past couple of weeks I have been thoroughly enjoying Markus Zusak’s novel “The Book Thief”. Many excellent reviews and recommendations from friends compelled me to pick up this “young adult” novel. “The Book Thief” is a story about, well, a book thief. The thief is a young girl named Leisel. The narrator is none other than Death itself. Recently adopted Leisel lives in 1940′s Nazi Germany with her foster family in the midst of a world of danger and hatred. She is starting life anew after the loss of her mother and death of her younger brother. At her brother’s graveside she steals her first book, “The Gravedigger’s Handbook”, and her love for books is born. During the next few years Leisel learns to read, all the while stealing more books and fueling her passion for words. When all seems well in her life, an unexpected change takes place when her foster family decides to hide a runaway Jew in their basement. Zusak’s novel offers a different perspective on Germany in WWII by showing us German characters who weren’t afraid to stand up for what is right, characters who hated The Hitler’s Youth and The Fuhrer.
Heartbreaking yet life affirming, “The Book Thief” is a wonderful achievement. Zusak’s prose and descriptive language make this one hard to put down. More than anything it is a story about the power that words have on people’s ideas, opinions, and lives. While Hitler is using the power of words to destroy, Leisel is in some sense stealing them back and using the power of words to heal. Sad, funny, beautifully written and very absorbing, “The Book Thief” is a story that I won’t soon forget.
Thanks for reading!
Matt
