Books everywhere! Each wall was armed with overcrowded yet immaculate shelving. It was barely possible to see the paintwork. There were all different styles and sizes of lettering on the spines of the black, the red, the gray, the every-colored books. It was one of the most beautiful things Liesel Meminger had ever seen.
With wonder, she smiled.
That such a room existed!
(from The Book Thief, page 134)
There are very few books that I loved enough to re-read, and as soon as I dried my eyes and turned the last page of The Book Thief back in 2007, I knew that it was a book I could read again and again. I’m glad that the second time I read this book was aloud to The Girl, as there’s nothing better than sharing one of your favorite books with someone you love and having them enjoy it, too.
The Book Thief is a coming-of-age story set in Nazi Germany. Liesel Meminger, still grieving her brother’s death, is brought to the home of Hans and Rosa Hubermann on Himmel Street in the fictional town of Molching just outside of Munich. She arrives with The Gravedigger’s Handbook, a book she stole at her brother’s graveside, but doesn’t know how to read. Her foster mother, Rosa, comes off a little harsh, but her foster father, Hans, is a kind and gentle man who teaches her to read. Learning to read opens up a whole new world to Liesel, and while her best friend and partner in crime, Rudy Steiner, is content stealing food, her thievery involves expanding her personal library.
Over the course of World War II, Liesel’s passion for reading grows, at the same time that conditions deteriorate under Hitler’s rule. Money and food become tight, but Liesel has her books, the love of her parents and Rudy, and her friendship with Max, the Jewish fist fighter hiding in her basement.
What makes The Book Thief unique is its narrator, Death, who is tired of his job — and with the war and the extermination of Jews, he is quite busy. Death is surprisingly compassionate, haunted by humans, and drawn to the story of the book thief. How he comes to know Liesel and why her story is so profound are explained over the course of the book. However, some might think that Death’s narrative style is a bit off-putting, as he often interrupts the mostly linear narrative with a heart-stopping sentence that tells readers what will happen before it actually happens. For The Girl, it lessened the impact of the book by taking away the element of surprise, but it kept me turning the pages to see how it all played out.
The Book Thief packs a punch by personalizing the experiences of “ordinary” Germans during World War II, Germans who may have belonged to the Nazi Party and dutifully said “Heil Hitler” more out of fear than devotion to the Führer. Zusak zeroes in on the people of one street in a small town, their squabbles and their hardships. The novel is even more powerful because of its focus on an innocent young girl who comes of age during all the chaos, a girl who has lost so much already and still has more to lose.
Zusak uses Nazism and book thievery to emphasize the power of words. Liesel’s most prized possessions are books, particularly the ones made by Max as he comes to terms with his situation and empowers himself through words. Liesel learns that reading aloud in the bomb shelter during the nightly raids calms the children and adults crammed together, unsure whether they would live or die. And she comes to understand that without words, Hitler was nothing.
I think I loved this book even more the second time around. Over the course of 550 pages, you really feel like you know the characters, they feel like your friends and neighbors. I cried the first time I read it, and I cried even more this time. I had to stop reading several times to dry my eyes, which provided lots of laughs for The Girl, who insists that books don’t ever make her cry. (Maybe someday.)
Here’s what The Girl (age 11) had to say about The Book Thief:
*I really liked the book because it was kinda unique to have Death narrate the book. But I didn’t like how Death gave away big parts before they happened.
*My favorite character was Hans because he was really sweet to Liesel by teaching her to read. The author gave so much detail on Hans you thought he was your friend.
*I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars. You think you know all the characters, and the detail drags you into the story.
Have you read The Book Thief? What did you think?
Disclosure: The Book Thief is from my personal library.
© 2012 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
I cry at books, movies, TV commercials, weddings and more! Everyone laughs at me too! And I would totally sob my heart out again if I reread The Book Thief!
*passes the tissues to Anna*
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Thanks, Marg. I could have used an entire box of tissues this time around…and I even knew what was coming. LOL
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I loved “The Book Thief.” It is the book I still most recommend, and I would put it in my top 5 book. Like you, I was turning pages but wishing that there would be a twist, that somehow a play of words would make what was coming not come. How could it be that I was holding onto a glimmer of hope?? I knew the history of the time. The book had already illuminated the horrors from the first pages…images I still carry around the way it happens with a book that stays with you.
Part of this story is that glimmer the reader tightens their heart around as they continue to read.
God knows the characters were experienceing worse than me, cozy in bed reading! And they held onto the glimmer…
So…
that seems impossible.
But it happened.
It happens.
It’s happening.
Lots to take in with this book.
Every bit of sweet Rudy’s devotion broke my heart…can’t I just change a little of the story?
That’s a good book.
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There’s so much sorrow in this book, yet so much hope…that just the simple act of reading can change someone’s life.
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She’ll cry at books someday..she just hasn’t found the right one yet.
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That’s what I keep telling her.
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I found that I had tears welling up in my eyes just reading about this book. I listened to it on audio originally, and it was just breathtaking. It is interesting, because I don’t see my daughter crying over books either. I’m thinking maybe a few more hormones and a little more baggage and she’ll get there. Crying over books is half the fun!
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Yes, I have to agree with you. It’s a wonderful thing when an author’s words can move you to tears.
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I loved that the two of you read this together and I’m also glad that The Girl got to see how moved you were by it. Don’t worry – a book will make her cry one day and, when it does, she’ll remember how you read this book with her.
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I warned her that I was probably going to bawl like a baby. Not sure she believed me, and that was probably part of the fun for her.
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I loved this book so much. It was a great story and was really unique!
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Yes it was. So glad to hear you loved it, too!
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I LOVED this book so much. I also cried- copiously, I’d say. I should re-read it, but I currently still remember it so vividly that I want to wait.
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It had been long enough since my first reading that some of the smaller details were fuzzy, so parts of it were like I was reading it for the first time. I can’t wait to see how I react when I read it again.
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I need to get this book — everyone raves about it. I love that you and The Girl read it — that made me teary!! I can’t wait to have that experience in my life!
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It is a wonderful experience to read with your child. She’s already chosen our next “together book.” I wonder how much longer reading together will last, so I’m just enjoying it while I can!
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For some reason I just did not connect, but then i gave up too easily
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When I read it the first time, I remember that the structure of the narrative took some getting used to, but after about 10 pages, I was hooked. I hope you’ll give it another try at some point.
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Anna, your review makes me want to reread The Book Thief. It sounds like a reading experience you and The Girl will remember and relish (and could lead to a Mother-Daughter Reading Challenge of some sort).
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That’s a great idea for a challenge!
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OMG! “The Girl” I thought that too. I did not like Death giving away a lot of things too. But then I got used to it 🙂 Lovely review. Someday I hope to read this to my son too 🙂
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It does take some getting used to. I did notice that the events he foreshadowed happened so far into the future that sometimes you forgot what was coming even though you should have expected it. I hope you and your son enjoy this book together someday. 🙂
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I can easily cry when reading, watching a movie, listening to music and my kids give me the “what’s up with Mom” look. I think it wonderful that you read this book together and shared the experience.
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Me, too! I used to be embarrassed by it, but now they know me too well. This time it was more entertaining because I was reading out loud and kept getting choked up. I’d calm myself, start reading again, and start crying again. I think it took us much longer than it should have to finish a certain chapter.
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One of my favorite books! And I knew as soon as I finished that I’d re-read it, too. My copy is in storage, but one of these days!
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It’s that rare book that you want to read over and over again.
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I admit being put off by the narration, especially at the beginning, but I guess I got used to it eventually. So much missed seeing you and The Husband and The Girl yesterday!!!
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I missed seeing you, too. We’ll have to get together another time for sure!
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Every time that I put this book back on the shelf I always think about reading it again!!!! I think it’s so very cool that you two read this one together!
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I’m so happy to see I’m not the only one who thinks it’s worth re-reading, especially when there are so many unread books sitting on the shelf!
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It’s hard to gauge if I loved it more on the second read, but YES! a resounding yes, that this is a wonderful touching book that I hope to read again and again.
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So glad to hear that! It really is a book that’s heartbreaking and intense but so wonderful at the same time.
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I just read the other post where you described your experience of reading this book with your daughter. I was planning to read this one last month, but I didn’t get to it. Now I cannot wait to read it. I’m going to make some time for this book.
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I really hope you have time to read it soon. Can’t wait to see what you think of it.
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I don’t cry easily, but this was one of the few books that got me. Glad to see that it has a huge impact on so many people.
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It makes me feel better knowing other people were deeply affected by this book. But I cry all the time, whether books, tv, or movies. 🙂
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I read your previous post, announcing that you were going to read this with The Girl and hoping that she would like it as much as you did, and then I saw the title of this post and just had to laugh! 🙂 I know I would cry if I tried to read that book out loud too. I’m glad she liked it, and I agree with what others have said–I think that crying at books or movies comes more easily when you are older and have had some experiences that allow you to more accurately guage the heartbreak or joy in a situation.
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Well said! It was funny because I would sob, she would laugh, then I would laugh, calm myself down, then sob some more. It was a nearly never-ending cycle.
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[…] thinking about it. I’ll have to re-read it at some point to see if it rivals my love for The Book Thief, but I have no doubt that it’ll end up on my shelf of all-time […]
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[…] The Book Thief by Markus Zusak […]
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I really did not get this book, in fact gave up reading it. What did I miss! SD
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I guess it depends on how much you read and why you gave up. The first time I read it, the narrative and visual structure took a lot to get used to, and it took me about 10 or so pages to really be pulled in. But once I was pulled in, I couldn’t stop reading it. The narration is so unique and the characters were so endearing to me.
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Maybe I gave up too soon, will try again. SD
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I hope you’ll enjoy it the next time around! 🙂
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[…] I started the weekend with a Friday night movie: The Book Thief. Some of you may remember that I re-read the book with her a couple of years ago. It’s one of my all-time favorites, and I thought the movie […]
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