The Book Thief---Stealing Back Freedom

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is the story of a young girl in Germany in the midst of World War II. What separates this wonderful book from the World War II novels that have come before it is that it has a unique narrator: Death. Zusak’s “Death” is not the normal grim-reaper character that one would usually imagine. In fact, this “Death” is a compassionate, but dutiful worker who has quite a difficult and labor intensive job carrying away the souls of those who fall victim to the war. “Death” is intrigued by the story of reader Liesel Meminger.

It is hard to explain The Book Thief without giving away parts of the book and it is so good, I want readers to discover the book on their own, so I’ll do my best to keep this with few spoilers. Liesel has been sent to live with foster parents from a young age. She and her family do their best to stay true to their own beliefs in an environment that hardly allows them to do so. How do you maintain your freedom in a society that takes that right away from you? Liesel attempts to find a way. She becomes a thief, of books specifically. She “acquires” these novels from all over, from a graveside to the Mayor’s own library.

Liesel is a really good protagonist. She reminded me a lot of Sara Crewe from the film (and novel) A Little Princess, which is one of my personal favorites, therefore probably explains my attachment. Both girls use the power of stories to help bring hope to the upsetting situations they find themselves in. Liesel is a wonderful combination of youthful wonder and innate wisdom. She is a child doing her best to grow-up and find herself in horrific times. Liesel is inspiration for many young girls in her courage and her ability to care about other human beings.

Parent/Teacher Advisory: It should be noted that although this is a YA novel in America, in Australia, where the author is from, this was a novel intended for adults. Considering who the narrator is and the time period, it should be obvious that there are many deaths in the novel. It is not necessarily a novel for the faint of heart, but the story is so powerful that it is worth hearing. The violence is entirely necessary to explain the direness of the situation. That said, the novel is very sad. The tragic storyline and the length of the novel (it’s over 500 pages long—but it goes by REALLY fast) are something to consider before recommending to younger readers.

Overall Recommendation: The Book Thief is not only one of the best YA books I have read recently, it is also one of the best novels I have read this year…period. It is so good I cannot find the right words to explain it. This is ironic because that is what the novel is all about: the power of words. Language and words were tools used to bring about hate and destruction in Nazi Germany; however, they are also the devices that help Liesel rebel and bring hope and a small amount of freedom to herself and those closest to her. It is a powerful examination about the impact of books and the importance of reading and that is a message that it I hope girls take away from The Book Thief. It is an excellent lesson for everyone to learn.