Official Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
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- NGBookworm97
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Official Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
This is the book that I would grab if my house were on fire. This is the book that I am constantly coming back to, wondering how it is possible for words to be this beautiful.
The narrator of The Book Thief is Death, which makes sense given that the story takes place in Nazi Germany during World War II. Death tells the story of Liesel Meminger, a young German girl sent to live with foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann. After stealing her first book at her brother's grave, Liesel's foster father agrees to teach her how to read and so begins an immense love of books (Who doesn't love a book about book?). Hungry for more words and stories, Liesel takes the opportunity to steal a book whenever she can. Once in her new home, we see Liesel develop relationships with many people, including Rudy, a charismatic boy who quickly becomes Liesel's best friend, and Max, a Jewish man who the Hubermanns take under their wing and hide in their basement.
All in all, it's a story of hope and simple acts of heroism. It's about a girl clinging to the beauty life has to offer in a time when so much of that beauty had been stripped away, and it is truly a beautiful thing to witness.
The author, Markus Zusak, has a remarkable way with words and a wonderfully unique writing style that slowly pulls you deeper into the story. I'll admit it took me awhile to really get into this book and become accustomed to the haunting, slightly eerie, and matter-of-fact voice that Death takes on. However once you do, you'll find it incredibly difficult to put down and like me, will be heartbroken when you turn that dreaded final page and have to say good-bye to the characters you have come to love.
This is one of the most evocative books I have ever read; one that made me appreciate how powerful words can be when they are used the right way. There are certain passages that you read over and over again because the way they are written is simply stunning and you sense how much love has been put in those words as you savour them each time.
Good books touch you. The best books grab hold of your heart. This one, I believe, is definitely one of the latter.
- gali
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