The Book Thief

Author: Markus Zusak
Published: 2006
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction
Pages: 560
Target Age: 14+
Other books by Zusak: The Messenger
Synopsis:
Narrated by Death (not deaf, as many people have misheard!), this story follows a young girl, Liesel, as she enters the lives of her foster parents and a small German town during World War II. The reader gets glimpses into Liesel's life through the books she steals and the people around her who meet their end.

My Thoughts:
*Best Read of 2008
A tour de force of literature, this was the feel good read of the year! Seriously though, Zusak's writing is highly entertaining and deeply moving. The unique style of narration adds to the intrigue and complexity of the story while supplying a new perspective on the Holocaust; Death is (not surprisingly) blunt but unexpectedly caring (despite what he might say to the contrary). I must admit that before I can (accurately) say much more about The Book Thief, I need to refresh my memory, which I will gladly do--this is a book I plan to return to again and again.

My Recommendation:
Read this if you can read. If you can't read, find someone to read it to you. (Probably the same person who's reading this to you right now).

Tear Factor:
Keep a box (or at least one of those handy little pocket-sized packs) of tissues near by. One friend admitted to openly sobbing for an extended period in front of her students while they took an exam. Even I got teary eyed (this may or may not be saying much--while I can turn on the waterworks, it is a spectacle that few have had the privilege of witnessing).

Selected Quote:
"On the other hand, he was also enjoying the ecstasy of an idea, not daring just yet to envision its complications, dangers, and vicious absurdities. For now, the idea was enough. It was indestructible. Transforming it into reality, well, that was something else altogether."