At only nine years old, Liesel Meminger witnesses the death of her brother and is sent away by her mother to live with another family. Liesel doesn’t really understand what’s going on or why she has to leave her mother. Hitler’s domination of Germany increases as Liesel grows up, comforted by her adoptive father and loved but scolded in ways by her adopted mother. Narrated by Death himself, a character with a completely different and novel perspective, Liesel’s story is a powerful one about love, war, and childhood.
I don’t give many books a five star rating on LibraryThing (I don’t rate books at all here on the blog, but I still do there). It’s incredibly rare that I find a book which works for me on all levels – that touches me, that makes me think, that gives me a new perspective on life. The Book Thief is one such book, and somehow I waited nearly two full years to actually open it for the first time. What a mistake – I hope it’s one you won’t make, if you do have this one waiting on your TBR shelf.
It’s difficult to pinpoint precisely what makes this book so special. There are vast numbers of books written in or about World War II that are very good; there is plenty of fiction in particular and it’s a number that seems to rise regularly. It’s one of those books that makes things you’ve always known somehow become real, even through fiction. Liesel’s feelings towards Max, the Jew that her family hides in their basement, do precisely this. Their relationship, so tenuous to start, expressed through books and words, becomes magical and real as the novel progresses.
The entire book revolves around the power of words. Liesel is the titular book thief; she adores books, but they’re hard to come by for a poor family in Nazi Germany. Censorship means millions of books are burned or changed, so Liesel’s treasures become fewer and far between. Simultaneously, it is words that allow Hitler and his party to take power, to persuade people that those who believe in other religions are not people, to cause the deaths of millions around the globe. This power of words is demonstrated in so many ways throughout the book; as a reader and a writer, I found so much to connect with and a vast amount of truth in this particular theme.
The book also demonstrates the merciless nature of war. It’s a hard thing to take, especially when you become so very attached to certain characters, but it makes me think of real life as well. More than anything, strangely, this part of the book reminded me of The Children’s Book by A.S. Byatt, because it is another that demonstrates how war can take away people we desperately love. Like many of my generation, I’ve never had anyone I loved taken from me due to a war, despite the fact that we are fighting one and I know a number of soldiers, and I think this faint shadow of that grief is entirely necessary to remind all of us who are not involved ourselves how evil a thing these wars actually are.
I would highly recommend The Book Thief to almost anyone at all; it’s a book that is beautifully written with a number of powerful themes, yet still surprisingly different from many of the books about World War II out there. If you already own it, don’t let it sit on your shelf any longer.
I am an Amazon Associate. I received this book as a gift.
Totally agree.
For me one of the things I loved was the sense of community the book decribed. How all those people lived on the street and interacted with eachother. The characters were not sincular.
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This book was amazing. I read it two years ago and am still thinking about it. I’m actually considering asking my daughter to give it a try soon (she’ll be twelve in three weeks). I think it’s a very important book and I’m also happy to hear you liked it.
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Yaaaayyyy! It’s fab and your review brought lots of it back to me, especially the parts with Max writing in the basement.
I bought this so long ago, and haven’t read it. Both of my teenage kids have, but I keep looking at it and passing it up in favor of something else. I think part of my problem is that I am sort of burnt out on WWII stuff right now, but your mention that this is actually a book that is narrated by death, and the fact that it is even tangentially about books makes me want to pick this one up sooner rather than later. I am going to take your advice and grab this one off the shelf and add it to my upcoming reads. I loved your review and will have to let you know what I think of it. Thanks!
I gave up, I came to page 20 and gave up
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Yet another review reminding me that I need to read this book. I really have no excuse!
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I don’t know about you, but I really loved the illustrations too. They were so well done, with the words of Mein Kampf faded in the background. I found it really powerful.
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I’m so glad you loved this book. It was also one of my few 5-star ratings, but it’s been long enough since I listened to it that it’s high time for a re-read (immediately after finishing the audiobook I went and bought myself a paper copy!)
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I’ve had this one on my shelves for a couple of years and now I’m wondering why I’ve never made the time to read it.
I’ve never even seen this one before (I don’t read much on WWII though so it’s probably not a surprise) but after reading your review I think I will go get it right now! Thanks again for giving a regular lurker something good to read!!
I won this book sometime this year, and I really really want to read it. I’ve heard so much about it, and who doesn’t love a character that loves to read? I’m definitely going to read it in 2011.
Everyone in my office is suddenly buzzing about this book! I really need to read it!
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Confession: I love the name Liesel. I think because of The Sound of Music.
Gosh! I have always wanted to read this. Your review reminds that this has to be on my wishlist next year. Thank You!
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I absolutely loved this book. It’s one of my all-time favorites. I hope to re-read it next year…after I buy a copy for my personal library!
I will link to your review on War Through the Generations.
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I love your comparison to Byatt – I hadn’t thought of that at all, and yet your point is such a good one. As you might have guessed, I really loved this book as well.
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LOVE LOVE LOVE this book. I want to re-read it soon, but it’s just such an emotional commitment. Sigh.
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I loved everything about this book. The death character, the girl, the way the illustrations were perfectly placed.
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“The book also demonstrates the merciless nature of war.”
Totally agree! And as everyone else has mentioned, too, this book is awesome. Loved it!
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