The Book Thief
by Markus Zusak
Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Modern Classic
Release Date: September 1, 2005
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Source: Bought/Own Copy
Synopsis:The extraordinary #1 New York Times bestseller that will be in movie theaters on November 15, 2013, 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 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.
Once or twice in a man's life, he will stumble upon a book that is extraordinary, and another that will leave an indelible mark on his heart. I consider this both.
It was during March of last year when I first heard of this modern classic. I remember being a bit apprehensive because of the reviews I've come across about it being a reminiscent of some tearjerkers I've read. And finally, just a couple of months ago, I made up my mind and went to the nearest bookstore to finally take it home with me. At first glance, you'd think that The Book Thief's dull, but it was, in fact, extraordinary. I wonder why I've waited so long to read this book.
Set in Nazi Germany, The Book Thief, narrated by the oh-so famous Death, tells the story of Liesel Meminger, together with her mother and her brother, who's on their way to Molching. While on the way to Molching, Werner, Liesel's younger brother, dies on the train. After the unfortunate turn of events, they stop for Werner's burial, where Liesel strikes for the first time. The Grave Digger's Handbook, the first of a handful of books she stole, led to her lustrous career as the infamous Book Thief.
This being a novel of Markus Zusak's it is expected to be amazing, original, and out of this world. Guess what? It was. It even went beyond that, if you ask me. I was really looking forward to how this book would turn out and now that i have finished it, boy did I wish that I spent more time devouring the small moments between these amazing characters. Kudos to you Markus for making me sob uncontrollably for a good half an hour!
Time to get to the point. I applaud Zusak whose time and effort were spent on this rivetingly narrated book. He used perfect words that constituted to unforgettable paragraphs. No word was meaningless which was probably the reason why most people didn't finish this book. Everything, and I mean everything, was told in great emotional detail. I could feel the emotion emanating from the book itself. In return it made me think of today and the uncertainty of tomorrow. It left me promising myself that I would get more out of each day spent from here on out.
I absolutely loved Liesel. Zusak's words shaped her perfectly in my mind. The image of her, even before I saw the trailer, was so vivid that it scared me. Not only was her appearance radiant, but also her character. There's this thing about her that made me want to hug her every time I see her suffer. An aura of extreme righteousness and good-nature surrounds her that makes every reader fall in love with her.
I also thought Max was absolutely perfect! Although at first he seemed like a dead weight to the family, amidst the chaos and rubble outside of the Hubermann residence, he made a best friend out of Liesel. She read him stories, brought him gifts when he was sick, and in return he did the thing that made me tear up the most: he wrote her a book, albeit a short one. He's the most thankful person I've ever met. (not really met, but you get the point)
All events considered, the plot was riveting, however there were events wherein Death, the narrator, spoiled the readers. Haha. Imagine yourself saying: "Ugh. The book i'm reading spoiled me!" Seems impossible right? WRONG. In times, Death chooses to be all mysterious and reveal major details about the plot but it just gave rise to the book's awesomeness.
The most intriguing characteristic of this book was that it was an eye-opener. It narrated the harsh reality that people manipulate, twist, and tilt words in order to make them sound like what you wanted to hear. Zusak told one of the most melancholic periods of world history and made it into a beautiful and well-crafted story of a girl who stole books.
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