Title: The Book Thief
Author: Markus Zusak
Historical (Holocaust) Fiction YA
Published March 14th 2006 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Goodreads summary:
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. . . .
Narrated by Death, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a young foster girl living outside of Munich in Nazi Germany. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she discovers something she can’t resist- books. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor’s wife’s library, wherever they are to be found.
With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, Liesel 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.
Review:
I feel like I need to speak about this book in a hushed whisper because my respect for it is so great.
This book had been on my TBR for a while, but I tended to pass it over for “shinier” books. You know… happier ones. I finally got around to picking it up thanks to the FYA book club this month. And it’s not a happy book, but it’s certainly a beautiful one.
The Holocaust is a difficult subject for some obvious reasons, but I’m recommending this book anyway. I wouldn’t change a thing. There were so many “quotables” and the prose is just perfect. And the last 50 pages or so of the book completely undid me. I was sobbing hysterically while reading.
This is a short review but the reason for that is simple: This book is too amazing. I don’t have the right words for it. I am so glad that I read it.
Overall Rating: 5/5. This is an absolute masterpiece. I hope it’s one of those books that is/becomes required reading in schools.
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