I read this as a bookclub pick and while the beginning feels a little slow it is well worth finishing. To quote a friend "It makes you feel".

Kindle version - no editing/formating issues

This book worked for me on several levels: simple yet captivating prose, memorable characters and scenes, a story that is at once grim, hopeful and oddly whimsical, and a truly unique narrator (Death). It conveys not only the well-known horrors of Nazi Germany but also the many levels of victimhood that dominate all parts of a society at war. The Book Thief should appeal to thoughtful teens as well as adults.

This is one of the best books I have read in a LONG time. The writing is beautiful, and the story is very poignant. The way Zusak uses certain words and phrases together in a way you wouldn't normally is captivating. As a high school English teacher, I have recommended this book to all of my students, colleagues, and friends. The characters stay with you long after you have finished reading. It is funny, sad, enlightening, and thought provoking. I believe that this book is destined to be a classic.

Oddly, I make my living teaching reading, but ended up listening on audio to what has turned out to be one of my favorite "reads" in the past few years. Narrated by Allan Corduner, who gives "Death", our narrator, the perfect voice -- this book was so compelling I had a hard time turning off my iPod at the end of my commute!

I am not going to rehash the plot as that has been done hundreds of times here. Suffice to say this is a brilliantly told story about finding joy in the smallest things in life -- be they a miniature snow man or a stolen book about grave digging. Add the very somber backdrop of Germany during the worst of WW II, and these small pleasures take on a deep resonance.

There are many themes running through this book but one of the most important ones is that you cannot make instant judgments about people. It may be something as huge as not assuming everyone in Nazi Germany was evil or as simple as realizing the foster mother who swears at you non stop is really a very loving caretaker underneath her bluster. In fact, "Death" may not even be what you think he/she is.

The Book Thief is also a very good "coming of age" story -- which is probably why it was branded "Young Adult" in genre. But fumbling through adolescence while Nazis and Allied bombs are threatening your existence is not your average Judy Blume book.

This book belongs in any high school library, but it also belongs on many adults nightstands.

I first heard about this book when Markus Zusak was talking about it on the radio, and I thought it sounded interesting. The first thing that hooked me was the writing style and perspective - how often do you read books narrated by Death? It's hard not to be intrigued. Though this book is long (it's definitely not an action-filled suspense novel), it's well worth the read. It took me quite a while to finish, but when I finally reached the end, I could not help but cry my eyes out. This book truly changed what I knew about World War II and how I've looked at books since. The Book Thief proves that books really can change your life.

The Book Thief, which is narrated by Death, is the story of Liesel as she lives goes to live with her foster family just prior to and during World War II. The story centers around Liesel learning to read, making friends, growing up, and dealing with the effect World War II has on her foster family in friends. She is a girl who lives through nothing but tragedy but still has an open heart and clear head on her shoulders, well, at least most of the time.

After hearing so much about The Book Thief over the past year I decided I could not put off reading it any longer. I was completely blown away by this exquisite novel. I went in expecting something very YA, but still enjoyable and was surprised by how mature everything was. Death as the narrator gives insight into characters and situations that would be impossible to disclose otherwise, as well as keeping the overall mood of the book somber as he is always reminding the reader of the impending doom that Liesel's family and friend will face.

I think every book lover can relate to Liesel, not in a suffering in Nazi Germany way, but in a word transporting way. Her books are the most important things she owns, they are gifts from family, made by friends and stolen from fires and private library's.

There isn't much I can add that hasn't already been said. This is a beautiful book that is a must read for any true book lover.

I don't think I would do this book justice in just a few words. It made me cry, laugh, think about those important to me, and pray for an ending that is different than what I knew it would be. What could you expect when the narrator is death? Although death consistently interrupts with hints of what happens in the end, it is still heartbreaking when it comes. I'm a little sad that the book is over now.

A young girl is about to be placed in foster care. Her mother is too poor to take care of Leisel and her brother, so she is taking them to Munich to be given over to a foster family. On the train ride, Leisel's brother dies. Then she is handed off to a woman who yells and cusses at her and an accordion player who seems to allow his wife to run things. Leisel's life begins to change for the better as her foster father begins to teach her to read and her friendship grows with the next door neighbor, Rudy. Words revolutionize Leisel. She first is powerful against them, but then becomes powerful by using them. Her reading inspires healing during bomb raids, sickness, and melts the heart of death himself. The connection of books end up her savior in the end.

I can't imagine anyone not liking this book. It does begin slowly, but the characters all become to grow on you. The triumphs and failures of each of the main characters move the reader as if they were part of the scenes. It is truly remarkable how much I was sucked into this book. I cried at least four times even though I knew what was going to happen well before it happened. Death attempts to make all of the readers comfortable with the idea of destruction that will rip Leisel's world apart, but it didn't help me. I know this review has been all over the place, but it's because there is so much that I would want to say that I can't get it out in a logical sequence. All I can tell you is that you NEED to read this book!

This is a book that will catch you in the first pages and never let go of you. Narrated by Death, he will pull you into his world and make it as real as your own. The characters come alive - they are real people with flaws, and unattractiveness yet, some have great strengths buried deep inside. A reminder of the evil that we are capable of doing, but also, the good. The best book I've read in many years.

This book is amazing! I read a lot, but have never come across a book quite like The Book Thief. And it definitely is not just for teens. I enjoyed it immensely as an adult. I discovered this book because I stumbled across a Be a Book Thief website [...] and read about this group of people that love the book so much that they are making an effort to get it out to the world. They'll even get a copy to you if you need, which is cool. So I decided I needed to see what the hype was about. Well now I get it! This is a story that I can confidently say I will never forget and it has definitely changed me to have experienced this book. I would recommend it to everyone. Markus Zusak is an incredible author. After finishing The Book Thief I read I Am the Messenger. Fun book! It's different than The Book Thief (which I personally prefer) but a great book with an important message. I seriously can't rave about this book enough! Read it now - you're missing out! :)

This was a good good book. Its not the first book that comes to mind when I am recommending books to anyone. Overall, its a good book and you can't go wrong. Aldys

I must admit, it took me a while to get used to reading the format of The Book Thief. It is the first novel that I have ever read that is narrated by Death himself. Quite the ambitious task I think to have Death your narrator but in this case, Zusak succeeds brilliantly. This is the best book about the holocaust I have ever read.

Death is an important theme and character in the novel. He tells us this story in a startlingly off hand, objective and unsympathetic way. The novel goes from both sad to satirically humorous. The author took a big risk considering a weighty subject matter as vast and deep as the holocaust. But it wisely does not focus on the holocaust itself, but rather how some German people were affected by it. So many books have been written about this event but The Book Thief puts its own unique spin on it. It truly is unforgettable.

The prose is sustained, brilliant, and luminous and perhaps most of all haunting, page after page, sentence after sentence.

The way the story is told isn't designed to move one to tears, but I always felt something strong while reading The Book Thief, like a current of electricity moving through me as I devoured the pages. Don't be fooled by the length of The Book Thief, it races by at an alarming pace.

The plot itself is rather simple, focusing more on thoughts and characters and not so much on events. A young girl is abandoned by her mother and loses her brother tragically at the beginning of the story and goes to live with her new foster family.

Her foster dad is an accordion player and her foster mother is a ferocious and mean spirited maid in stark contrast to the kindness of the foster father. She moves into this home at age 11 and the story unfolds over a three year period during World War II in Germany. This really isn't a story focusing on the holocaust though, even though the family later hides a Jew in their basement for a stretch of time.

This is more of a story about how poorer Germans reacted to Hitler and what was going on around them at the time. The novel focuses on a particular poor street in Germany and the neighbors and residents of that street. This young girl is the centerpiece of the story and she begins to steal books during a time when books were banned and book burning was common.

Over time she will gather a modest collection of these books. She makes some close friends, two boys, on her street. We get to know them quite well along with the Mayor's wife who develops a distant, interesting relationship with this girl.

Because the story is told by Death, you can't help but feel the impending gloom in the air especially during this fragile war time period.

The Book Thief is an important book, and one that flows much like poetry and has a calm melancholy confidence about it. It carries an ability to remain extraordinary despite on the surface a rather ordinary story. The story is all about the characters and I won't give anything away but when you remember who the storyteller is you can't expect a nice and rosy ending. The characters are vivid and real.

The ideas and characters are what make this book a masterpiece not the story. It is unlike anything you will ever read, a book flowing with both beauty and sadness and a haunting ending that will stay with you long after the last page is turned, a true quality of a great and memorable book. The Book Thief is one of the best books I have ever read.

Grade: A

This book has already been beautifully reviewed here on Amazon so I will only add a few words to what has been said. My book club is currently reading 'The Book Thief' and after initially being irritated by the writing style I became inthralled with the story. So many oustanding parts, the snowman in the basement, Rudy and his love of Jessie Owens, the stories and illustrations by Max and the especially moving part for me near the end when Liesel finds Max. Can't wait for my Book Club meeting!

My Rating: 5 stars isn't enough!

How do I, as a book blogger, review a book that is wrought with so much emotion and so much angst and turmoil that I was sobbing by the end of the book? How can I adequately put into words how much of an impact this book had on me as a human being? I honestly don't know if it is possible to review this book effectively, but I'll give it my best shot!

I am a huge fan of historical fiction, especially of events in and around World War II. The Holocaust was an absolutely horrifying event in our world's history (and horrifying is putting it mildly), but I am, for whatever reason, drawn towards these types of fictional and non-fictional accounts of WWII. I don't know why. I break down crying every time I read a book about this time period, but I continue to seek out more of it. I wish I could explain it.

The Book Thief is a unique story in that it is narrated by Death. I was a bit leery at first because I wasn't sure how this type of narration would play out through the entire novel. I have to say that it worked wonderfully and I can't imagine the book told in any other way, without losing the power and overall feeling of the story. From the very first page, Death hooks the reader with His (Her?) account of his many visits to Germany during WWII. But, this story isn't just about Death, even though he was around quite a bit during that time. It is a story about a young German girl named Liesel Meminger, otherwise known as The Book Thief. It is a story about how books can help a person survive in a period of utter despair. It is a story of relationships; of love; of friendship; and of the power of the written word.

I've written and re-written this review many times. I've decided not to go into any details because I don't want to give away the magic of the novel. It is spellbinding, but heart-wrenching. It is a book that must be experienced first-hand. No review could possibly do it justice.

I will leave it at that.

Jennifer
[...]

For the longest time, I avoided this book because I felt Death as a narrator was gimicky. How very wrong I was! And thank god I came across the audio version by Allan Corduner which adds just the perfect element of wry humor to devastating effect.

Death is not a gimicky narrator-he is the perfect narrator. It's gently done, lovingly even.

I fell so in love with the characters in this novel that it felt like death in my own family as I learned their different fates. (And that's not a spoiler because eventually everyone dies, in real life and fiction.)

There was so much warmth and love in this book that it repeatedly brought me to tears--yes, even whilst being narrated by Death and being set in Nazi Germany! I will never forget Rosa Hubermann's constant Saumensching and Saukerling, and the gleeful joy of the children of Himmel Street, who manage to be good people when the world around them is evil. Rudy's teddy bear and Liesel's snowman spring to mind as instant examples.

Not only is the plot insanely compelling and well-crafted, the author's language is exquisite. I would often rewind the CD to listen again to a particular sentence.

I can't describe how much I loved this book. I wanted to hug both the author and the audio narrator (and actually, come to think of it, the fictional narrator).

I FIRST BECAME AWARE OF "THE BOOK THIEF" A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN LOOKING THROUGH REVIEWS ON AMAZON FOR A BOOK TO RECOMMEND FOR MY BOOK CLUB. THE IDEA OF A BOOK NARRATED BY "DEATH" INTRIGUED ME. THEY ACCEPTED MY RECOMMENDATION AND I BORROWED THE BOOK FROM THE LIBRARY, NOT SURE I WANTED TO PURCHASE IT. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST MOVING BOOKS WE HAVE READ. I'VE SINCE BOUGHT A COUPLE OF COPIES FOR MY GRANDCHILDREN AND RECENTLY BOUGHT A COPY TO KEEP FOR MY OWN LIBRARY. IT IS A MOVING STORY OF HOW THE ORDINARY GERMAN PEOPLE LIVED AND COPED DURING WORLD WAR II AND, IN PARTICULAR, THE EFFECT THE WAR HAD ON ADOLECENTS. WHILE IT IS CLASSIFIED AS A BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS, I WOULD RECOMMEND IT FOR ANYONE FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL TO GRANDPARENTS.

Why the large number of positive reviews? Does this mean that the book is yet another one chosen for first one book group and then another? Red flag!!! I found the narration by "Death" to be so contrived that I couldn't make it past the few pages. No matter how compelling the actual story might be, this self-counscious, annoying literary device made the book unreadable. Pay attention to the negative reviews, and spare yourself this tedious narrative.

The voice and characters in this book really came to life, and pulled me in to their world and the chaos and tragedy of their time. I have not enjoyed a book this much in a really long time.

This thrilling tale by Markus Zusak is told in the perspective of death. In the beginning Liesel's little brother dies. She then steals her first book,The Grave Diggers Handbook. As I read the book I felt like Death was responsive. It gave a different effect on the typical view of death, as shallow and unconcerned. This book shows that death can still be compassionate. Liesel Meminger is not your normal teenager. She has to go through more than just schoolwork, and boys. She is struggling with a Jew in her basement and delivering laundry to the Mayor's wife. Her friend Rudy is pretending to be Jesse Owens and she steals books from her neighbors. It is a thrilling tale and you should definetely read it.

The Book Thief
By Markus Zusak

In Germany, just at the start of WWII, Liesel Meminger is a young girl already well acquainted with Death. And Death, it seems, is acquainted with her. In this haunting story, ten year old Liesel, her younger brother and her mother are all traveling to Molching where the two children will be taken in by a foster family. It is on this trip that Death, the restless narrative voice of the book, first notices the young girl. Given a vivid fascination with Humans, Death is momentarily distracted from his weary duty of collecting her brother's soul by the pain of this young girl's loss. He encounters her in various ways over the next four years and each time is drawn to her life and her will to live it.

Dropped into a world she does not understand, Liesel is adrift. Her only connection with her former life is a book, The Gravedigger's Handbook dropped by the gravedigger who buried her brother. It is through the kindness of her foster father, Hans Hubberman, teaching her to read this macabre little work that some semblance of understanding and happiness forms around her. Words and the ideas behind them help her see the terrible threat the Nazis present to her new family and the people she loves. Her love for reading grows so intense that she becomes The Book Thief, stealing books from the Mayor's wife, and even from the bonfires of condemned Jewish works. When Max Vandenburg, a Jew to whom Hans Hubberman owes a debt of life, arrives and takes refuge in the basement, Liesel's sense of freedom and the power of the written word are put to the test. Through all the danger, the horror and pain of war and the fear of discovery Liesel learns what it is to be human, to love, to die with honor and live with guilt and to cherish things that only the mind can touch.

Zusak has written not only an entertaining and compelling story but also a fresh look at the destruction the Nazis did to their own people along with the world. He has taken a look through this young girl's eyes and exposed the brutality of war in a very intimate setting. To struggle to survive when the world is crumbling around you, the people you love are suffering and dying, the words which have given you freedom are banished and burned is an amazing feat that Liesel Meminger carries off by with bravery.

The writing Zusak has employed might not be to everyone's liking; emotions sit on the table to be examined, sounds claw and bite the ears, and Death pauses in his narrative to makes observations and comments the characters in the story can not know. He has given texture and feel to simple phrases, he is a Word Shaker, mixing the sounds and thoughts and memories everyone carries within them until he has created something unique but at its heart - easy to recognize and relate to. It works for this book while it might be too overwrought and distracting in another setting. Here, he is able to pull the reader in, awaken his or her senses and use them like a slap in the face to get a nearly physical reaction to this story. It is a very personal book, a very disturbing book, there are no Happy Endings, no miracles, no Divine Intervention, there is only a girl who loves words and her family, and a war. It is also a book I would recommend to anyone.

this was an absolutely exquisite read. there are not enough adjectives to describe how wonderful the book was, for the amazingly tangible characters and storyline, and especially for the language and imagery. for reasons unknown to me, this book is listed as young adult fiction (maybe because the main character is young herself??), which is not my usual genre of choice. it is also yet another holocaust book, but i can confidently say that none of that mattered in the least. there are rare jewels that can be found, the kind of books that show a reader, on occasion, the power of words and what is possible within the confines of two covers and a few hundred pages. this was one of those rare moments - stunning, powerful and hauntingly beautiful. i really can't rave enough, so i'll just stop and get on with the review.

The Book Thief is, at the surface, about liesel, a young girl in nazi germany, who has just witnessed her brothers' death and her mothers' abandonment. rosa and hans hubermann, her new foster parents, are two highly contradictory beings. rosa is foul-mouthed and demanding (she loves to call liesel saumensch, german for swine); hans is gentle and has the uncanny ability to always says the right thing. both are infinitely compassionate in their own way and you can't help but come to love them both. as the story goes, liesel steals her first book at her brothers funeral and spirals into a life that builds meaning around words. from the beginning, when hans teaches her to read and write with paint on the walls of the basement, liesel begins to write (and paint) her own story. in the beginning, middle and end - everything in her life comes back to the words.

"She was the book thief without the words. Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like rain."

the other characters are equally remarkable. rudy, "the boy with the lemon colored hair", is liesel's best friend and partner in crime, their love for each other cemented in the books that he helps her steal, and of course, the amper river. max, the jew that the hubermann's hide in their basement, brings the pieces of the story that will pull at your heart strings. and, he also brings some of the most wonderfully profound moments. after over a year without seeing the outside world, this fragment of his soul is written - "from a himmel street window, he wrote, the stars set fire to my eyes". i mean, how can you not fall in love with a character like that, who writes books for liesel, since he has nothing else to offer? honestly though, even the characters that only make random cameo appearances, like tommy and the mayors wife are substantial enough that they could have their own books written about them. everyone and everything is so vivid, so utterly believable in a way that is rarely seen. and ultimately, each of them helps to define liesel and her love of words.

oh yeah, and i can't forget to mention the narrator. DEATH himself, although he claims he doesn't carry a scythe or wear a cloaked hood (unless its cold), brings us the story, and thankfully he has some sense of humor and compassion. the narration is unusual and may take some readers into a place of discomfort, but i thought it worked brilliantly. expect a lot of foreshadowing, a lot of unexpected tangents that will eventually become very important, and most importantly, expect a lot of dying (but also a lot of glorious living).

the language (my favorite part of the book, for sure) is musical, poetic. the music, notably the accordian playing of hans hubermann, is imperfectly perfect. and the colors of the landscape are bright and dark in ways that make them impossible not to notice. altogether, The Book Thief is a rare work of art.

i will be recommending this book to anyone who will give it a chance. it was worthy enough to be etched a permanent home on my bookshelf. and with that, i'll leave you with a quote from the book itself.

"Sometimes you read a book so special that you want to carry it around with you for months after you've finished just to stay near it."

this was surely one of those books.

Usually, when I know how a book is going to end the emotional impact becomes dulled because I could prepare myself for the outcome. This is not the case in THE BOOK THIEF. Zusak's tone packs such an emotional punch even when he prepares you for what is going to happen. There aren't many stories that could do that.

This book should be required reading for 8th or 9th grade-which doesn't mean this book is written for young adults. The themes and history Zusak tackles in this book are very literary and relevant. The story here opens doors for many teaching points, which is why I don't know if teenagers could appreciate this book without a teacher's guidance.

In many ways, THE BOOK THIEF follows along the line of To Kill a Mockingbird in terms of literary power and thematic situations. The Book Thief though, is much darker and morbid than To Kill a Mockingbird.

You will find that this book has some great characters, complete with depth and complexity. They all come alive, especially Rudy, Hans, Rosa, Liesel, and of course Death himself.

I strongly recommend this book.

This story drew me in from page one. Markus Zusak has a wonderful way with words.

"I walked in, loosened his soul, and carried it gently away." "Somewhere, far down, there was an itch in his heart, but he made a point not to scratch it. He was a afraid of what might come leaking out." "Burning words were torn from their sentences."

These are just a few sentences that convey his beautiful imagery in this book. This is a very different perspective on Germany during World War II and the Holocaust. It was great to see the side of Germans that were against Hitler and wanted to protect those that needed it. I felt that Zusak captured Germany during that time; what it was like to be a non-Jewish German, a young adult, poor, watching your world fall apart around you, seeing the cruelty of war and intolerance, and yet trying to make sense of it all. This is a story that needs to be told and it is beautiful, heart-wrenching, sad, and yet hopeful.

This book is brilliant- one of my favorites. It moved me to tears on multiple occasions. However, I must admit that after reading about 50 pages of it, I was totally bored. Disappointed, I put it back on my bookshelf, until a few months later when I had the wonderful opportunity to actually meet Markus Zusak and hear him speak. His talk inspired me to try reading it again. I'm so very glad that I did, because I soon fell completely in love with the characters, even the narrator-"Death". This book is definitely worth sticking with; to all you easily bored readers, keep with The Book Thief, you won't regret it!

The Book Thief
By: Markus Zusak
Illustrated. 576 pages
Alfred A. Knopf. $8.63
(Ages 13 to 18)


Neil Sheth, HLW- 2
Ms. Hagberg- Cohen
02/16/10

Markus Zusak, an innovative and poetic novelist, tries to compel the reader with his mesmerizing and creative story along with implementing poetry and suspense in this historical fiction novel.
Zusak, an Australian author, grew up hearing stories about Nazi Germany and knew it was a story he wanted to express through his poetic language. "But there were still rebellious children and people who didn't follow the rules and people who hid Jews and other people in their houses. So there's another side to Nazi Germany," says Zusak. Through his implementation of suspense, the so- called literary phenomenon is almost an unfolding path in the reader's mind.
Although Zusak brings about a novel that brings a story to life in one's mind, the message that the submerging narrator, Death, imposes is somewhat unclear. The purpose of incorporating a narrator with a different perspective is an innovative pizzazz to the story, but the message still lies vague. In this historical fiction novel, a moral of some kind is what perfects the comprehension of the time- period, and of the writer's abilities.
Creative writing is one of Markus Zusak's strengths, especially evident in The Book Thief. Zusak presents a myriad of accounts from his mother in Germany, and compiles these small explanations of human interactions into an amazing masterpiece of historical fiction. Tying together these stories is what needs to be reinforced for the reader to grasp the meaning of the story. The love that the family and the Jew create is binding even through the pages of the novel. Zusak entices the reader through suspense, sorrow, and exuberance in this composition.

There are not many books that after I start I cannot stop reading until I finish. The Book Thief happened to be one of those books. Markus Zusak's writing style helps to keep the reader immersed in the book from beginning to end. The main character, Liesel, is a poor orphan girl that if anything bad that could happen to her happens at least once in her life. Now don't get me wrong, Liesel does have some good luck struck upon her, but it may not be considered good luck from the readers perspective, but from Liesel's it is. Her story is one of death, joy, war, just about any feeling or experience a human can have, sadly it all happens when she is just a child.

The entire story is not only narrated by death but is also told backwards. Death explains a situation in which he has encountered Liesel and then goes in depth about the situation and the time inbetween their encouters. This, in my opinion, is the entire reason why the book was able to keep me hooked.

Another reason that I, as a reader, was able to stay so hooked on this book was the authors writing style. The vibrant words of this writer flowed so fluently the reader knew they were just meant to be there. This quote from The Book Thief Pg. 80 will help back up my belief, "He was the crazy one who had painted himself black and defeated the world. She was the book thief without the words. Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like rain." The way the author formulates the words in this sentence allows the reader to get a vivid image of the words being wringed out of a cloth. The way Zusak writes is so artistic and creative and imaginative that is unbelievable. This book, although meant for high school students, is definitely one that can be read by all ages, because of the way the author can connect the reader in this brilliant piece of work. In my mind, I would give this book a ten out of 10 and recommend it to any one in need of a good book.

The Book Thief vividly illustrates the very best and the very worst in us, the soaring heights of the daily happiness of life and the drowning feeling of grief in sudden loss. Zusak manages this without the reader (or at least this reader) feeling manipulated. He puts forth a powerful message of living life in the present, of realizing that happiness happens everyday in so many small ways, by showing time and again how everything can change in an instant. Beautifully written.

The Book Thief is one of those books that will be hard to get out of your soul. You won't be able to wash this one off of you. In the future, this will be our To Kill a Mockingbird--due to the tones of racism, poverty, and childhood innocence.

Liesel, the hero, is hardly a victim. Like Scout before her, she's willing to duke it out on the playground, go to great lengths to fulfill her curiosity and she has an insatiable desire to read. See the parallels? Liesel is a heroine that the feminists, holy-rollers, agnostics and apathetic alike can look up to, because we've all been children before, and because she is strong, careful and imperfect: just like children really are.

World War 2 never seemed more real than it has in this small German town, where the terrors of the Nazis are ever-present as is the good nature of some of the resistant Germans.

Written with such a stylistic structured format, where lines become paragraphs, headings become small stories in themselves, and the narrator is someone we will all meet one day: this is a truly ambitious and unique novel.

Check it out: or steal it. The Book Thief is worth the crime.

FYI: This book is billed as 'young adult' but that's only because it centers around two children and has no gratuitous mention of sex. While not for young children, this is a book for everyone.

This book is so creative and well written that I'm shocked it has not won major awards. Young author captures the atmosphere of WWII Germany with memorable characters and plot. Great for young and old. I have never before read a book narrated by Death!

Title: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

Pages: 552.

Time spent on the "to read" shelf: 6 months.

Days spent reading it: 7 days.

Why I read it: The book looked interesting, I had seen it a few times in the bookstores we frequent, so I finally picked it up.

Brief review:
I love a unique perspective in a book. Therefore, when I read the dust-jacket and saw that this book was narrated by Death, I was hooked.

This book starts off a little disjointed, images are flashed quickly, and dropped quickly as Death begins his tale about the Book Thief. However, as the tale begins to unfold I was sucked in and did not want to let go.

What can I say about this book? It is a unique telling of Nazi Germany through the eyes of a girl, named Liesel, and her adoptive family who do not buy the Nazi propaganda and help to hide a Jew named Max. The tale is wonderful, as we see Liesel's life through the eyes of Death.

I must admit, Markus Zusak has entered a very elite group of writers in my life. I do not cry very often when I read books. Not even if they are extremely sad. However a few authors know how to pull my heart strings and make a few tears roll down as I read. Kate DiCamillo does it to me in all of her books. And now Markus Zusak. If you are under the impression that a book narrated by Death about Nazi Germany is going to end with all sunshine and no gloom, look again at the pieces of the puzzle.

The Book Thief will have you praising the virtues of mankind in the midst of despair, as well as cursing the hatred that mankind also possesses. I would highly recommend this book to just about anyone. The Book Thief makes us think about love, war, loss, friendship, and the perseverance of men to bring hope to hopeless situations. And these are good topics to think about and discuss with our families and friends. This book is marketed to young adults, but once again it definitely transcends that genre and can certainly be enjoyed by adults as well.

One side note--This book truly made me think about the people in Nazi Germany. I guess in my mind there has always been this monolithic idea that all Germans at that time were compliant and empowered Hitler. I don't know why I have thought this, but The Book Thief brought a fresh perspective and names to the masses of people who were simply living life in Germany under one of the most evil tyrants in history. Many were forced into compliance. Some were killed because they dissented. I did not cheer when bombs were dropped on Germany in this book, I cried. And that alone was worth reading this book. It brought a new perspective of war to me. The Book Thief reminds me that our enemies are human, just like us. That lesson is just as pertinent now as it would have been during WWII.

Favorite quote: "It kills me sometimes, how people die." --Spoken by Death.

Stars: 4.5 out of 5

Final Word: Provocative.

Excellent book and highly recommended. I am a male in my thirties and I've heard this book was written for a younger audience. Despite this, I found the book to resonate deeply on both an emotional and intellectual level. I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of creative, compelling writing, that isn't afraid to play with your heart strings.

Told by the narrator Death, The Book Thief is the story of Liesel Meminger, who is a nine-year-old girl during Nazi Germany. After losing her family, Liesel must move to Himmel Street. During Liesel's stay at her foster family's home, she discovers something she loves: books. Liesel steals the books, while her foster father teaches her to read. On Himmel Street, Liesel also becomes best friends with Rudy Steiner, a boy who admires Jesse Owens and has a crush on Liesel. Together, they have many antics, which include stealing books. Along with Rudy, Liesel shares her books with Max Vandenburg, a Jewish fistfighter...

Some books leave an imprint on you, and The Book Thief was one of those books. From the very beginning, I had a feeling I would enjoy the novel, but I was cautious because setting high expectations is an easy way to ruin a book. The Book Thief surpassed any expectations I had. Markus Zusak takes a common setting, Germany during WWII, and puts an unique twist on it. The stories of Liesel, Max, Rudy, and all the other characters had so much heart, which is unusual for a book set during a time of death and sorrow.

Zusak's characterizations themselves were also quite interesting. My favorite characterization is easily Death. Throughout the novel, Zusak humanizes Death. Death is shocked by mankind's brutal nature. Death's typical characterization is generally cold and heartless, but to have a sympathetic Death was, in my mind, brilliant. This characterization makes me really think about the power of humans, and how we should all perform acts of kindness, rather than hate. I mean, it's pretty bad when Death itself is appalled. Anyway, I also loved Zusak's characterization of humans. Throughout the novel, humans are dehumanized by their various acts, including most obviously, their treatment of Jews. Zusak, however, also showcases various acts of kindness and shows readers that humans have the capability to be kind. With a story that is surrounded by cruelty, I think this was a powerful and important message.

I would recommend this novel to anyone looking for a story set in Nazi Germany.

It might take a while to get into this book, but once you do...prepare to fall in love with every single character. Great read for adults and young adults.

I'll cut right to the chase. This book is utterly amazing. Its characters are unforgetable, the atmosphere is better than in Bioshock, and the narrorator is death. How can you go wrong with death? The only thing it doesn't have is an amazing twist at the end. It almost counts, but death tells you mid-way through. Although thats not exactly bad. It makes you fell like death is sitting next to you.

I read this book for my book club. Most people in the club were over 60. We thoroughly enjoyed the writing, which was refreshing, and the plot was very good. I bought it for my grandson, who is 14.

I've never read a book that was laid out like this was..it was a unique experience. There is regular narrating by "Death", and he does a very effective job of being completely creepy and totally convincing. The time period is the emerging of Hitler's Nazi Germany, 1939. The story begins with our protagonist, 9 year old Leisel, a poor German girl, being taken to live with foster parents because her mother is unable to care for her any longer. What follows is the story of love and devastation in the life of this captivating little soul Leisel, her foster family, a Jew that they hide in their basement, and the various townsfolk. A beautiful and important story heart-wrenchingly told. I was blown away by the way the author was able to string together ordinary words to form such powerful and frightening images. Beautiful!

I listened to this audiobook for my book club. The reader is just fantastic, he sounds like Alan Rickman - a perfect voice for "Death". He drew you into his story perfectly. I puchased this book for Christmas for my son, it's a book everyone should read. Very highly recommended.

A thought-provoking, beautiful story told from the viewpoint of Death, whose fascination with the main character creates a remarkable, though at times sad, story. A fantastic book.

wonderful book. one of best i have read last year. thoughtful, creative, deceptively simple but very very profound and moving.
i loved it !

Death speaks in such a gentle caring voice. The characters are so touching and vivid, and their experiences so memorable and so touching. I have been recommending this book to everyone I come across. It is such a worthwhile read, that will always stay in your heart.

I just loved this book and I could hardly put it down. It was one of those books that make you feel bereft when you are finished with it, I didn't want it to end.

I read this for book club. It took me about 3 chapters to start liking it. After that I couldn't put the book down. The writing is beautiful. One of my favorite books EVER.

I purchased this book on my Kindle, which I totally love - but its one downside is that you can't pass a book along to somebody else when you're done with it. If I'd known how much I'd want to share this book, I would have bought a paper copy. I might actually go ahead buy a few copies just so I can share them.

I heard the following explanation of why it's in the "Teen Literature" genre (I don't know if this explanation is correct, but it makes sense): It was originally published in Australia in the normal "Literature" genre, and was fully intended for an adult audience. When the publisher brought it to America, though, they decided that books in the Literature genre don't sell as well here and it would get more exposure in the "Young Adult" and "Teen" market, so they threw it in there to make more money.

I think probably every teen SHOULD read this, in the same way they should all read The Diary of Anne Frank, but I doubt it will appeal to many of them. Certainly not to the same crowd of teens that's gone crazy recently over Twilight and Harry Potter before that.

It's the (fictional, but very true-to-life) story of a young girl raised by foster parents in Germany during World War II. Her family is hiding a Jew, and so is in constant danger of being discovered by the Nazis. (In this way, it's reminiscent of The Diary of Anne Frank but told from a completely different perspective.) Interestingly, the story is actually narrated by Death. Death himself is very much a character in the book even though he takes no direct hand in the plot other than quietly and compassionately collecting souls when their time comes. He interjects his own opinions and notes throughout. (At first these interjections seemed distracting, but before long they became one of my favorite aspects of the book.) By tying such a narrator so closely to the story the author ensures that the right mood is maintained throughout. The author's concept of an personified Death is very different than the ones we are used to. In one parenthetical statement Death even alludes to his more classic personification when he comments, "I like this human idea of the grim reaper. I like the scythe. It amuses me."

The main character of the book is Liesel. Everything she's ever had, even her family, has been taken from her, so early on in the book (the first chapter or two, if I recall), in attempt to have anything at all that is hers, she steals a book left accidentally on the ground by an apprentice grave digger just after the funeral of her younger brother. It's "The Gravedigger's Handbook". She can't read, and has no idea of what the book is - it's just one of the only things in the world that is hers now, so she hides it away like a treasure. When her foster father finds it, he realizes that she'd like to learn how to read. Being too poor to afford any other book, they use that one to teach her. He's hesitant about the subject matter but, in a wonderful illustration of the character's optimism in the face of even the most depressing situation he laughs and tells her as they get started, "Well, promise me one thing Liesel. If I die any time soon, you make sure they bury me right. No skipping chapter six or step four in chapter nine." The Gravedigger's Handbook becomes the first of several books that she steals, and the story tells how each one changes her life.

This is the first fictional novel to ever actually make me cry. A few times throughout the book I realized I was about to let loose a tear, but I managed to get through those without actually crying. (Typical male: Just had to man-up, ya know?) But then, as I finished it, my face was literally wet. It's an amazingly moving book. In addition to the tears, it also made me laugh in a lot of places, made me happy and inspired in a lot of places, and just generally ran the gamut of human emotion. I've never had a book affect me like that, and certainly not one that I knew was fictional. (But just because it's fictional doesn't mean it isn't full of truth. It shows many of the horrors of war in such realistic terms that you'd swear it could only be written by somebody in Anne Frank's position.)

I've always felt for the Jews who were persecuted during that war, but this book has given me a whole new appreciation for the few German citizens who were brave enough to protect some of these persecuted people, the ones who were wise enough to recognize the Nazi propaganda against the Jews for what it was, and who were human enough to risk their lives and families to do what they could do to help the oppressed.

As far as actual objective quality of writing, I wouldn't go so far as to say that The Book Thief is written as well as a few others I've read. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett comes to mind as one with higher quality writing, as does The Archer's Tale by Bernard Cornwell. But the writing here is incredibly poetic in many places, and when it comes to grabbing your emotions and making you feel like you're living in the story, I've never seen another book as well-done. Because I'd heard it was in the Teen section of the bookstore, I started it very skeptically, and it took a while for me to get used to the very odd narrative style - but by the time I was a third of the way through I was completely hooked.

Whoever it was at the publishing company who decided to call it "Teen Literature" needs to be strung up by the thumbs. I'll admit that if every teen read this book during their most impressionable years then it would probably make the world a better place because more of them would grow up into people who want to actively avoid war. But I doubt that many teens have the social maturity to really appreciate all that this book has to offer. I know there are many who do, and those that do have my complete respect, and I hope this book finds them. But the adult market is a far more appropriate venue for this book that I can only hope becomes regarded as a classic in years to come.

I heard some friends talking about the book so I wanted to read it. This is a must read for EVERYONE. Interesting angle for the time.

This book made me laugh cry and feel the emotions of each charater. I would recomend this book to anyone. Just amazing. Enjoy!

Not only is this book narrated by a very grim, insightful, and often sarcastically funny Death, but it's full of unforgetable characters you can't help but love. Liesel is an innocent German girl living through the horrors of Nazi Germany. She loses the little family she has, gets sent to live with strangers, and becomes best friends with the Jew hiding in the basement. The story is amazing from page 1!

The Book Thief is narrated by Death, and he relates to us one of his "stories" that he has collected over time. It is the story of Liesel Meminger, the book thief. She is a young girl in Nazi Germany, sent to live with foster parents. The book is split into ten parts, each one titled after a book that had a major impact on her life. The story goes through several years of Liesel's life through World War II, interjected by the three times that Death saw her. The first was when her brother died and she stole her first book, the second when a plane crashes down, and third when Liesel's world comes crashing down. Liesel goes through her life, playing soccer and stealing books, her love of words and books connecting her to others, from her foster father to the Jewish man they are hiding in their basement.

The writing style of this book is something that one cannot easily forget. Zusak uses vivid imagery and sharp details to pull the readers into the story. His characters are dynamic and almost familiar, making you feel as if you have known them forever. The book is something that cannot be easily forgotten, its message of the capacity for words to touch the soul. This is technically a Young Adult book, but I think it caters just as well to adults. It's unfortunate that it has been labeled as Young Adult, because a lot of people will pass on reading it, and they are missing out.

Some people say that this is no one "amazing" book that can touch your heart in such a way that changes how you look at the world. I disagree. This book can absolutely do that. This book will make you laugh, make you cry, and it will touch your heart.

There are only a handful of books you read that your are going to remember years later and this is one of them. I LOVED this book! It goes fast and is almost impossible to put down! It tells the story of Liesel Meminger, who loved to read books, but that is just one part of the story. There are so many story lines in The Book Thief that keep your interest. Just read this book, enjoy the story. It captures the human spirit that I hope is in all of us!

The Book Thief is unarguably a well-written, compelling story addressing life during the war by following the common daily struggles of the people of Himmel Street. It is a difficult task for a writer to not overwhelm a reader with so much death and tragic subject matter, but Zusak does it stunningly and with a honesty that forges a unique depth in each character. I think this is a superb young adult book that communicates the time period through well-crafted characters and provides a tiny peak into the hardships faced by all German citizens during the war. Although the families were not Jews, the humanity and sympathy they felt for what was occurring in the country mixed with their own powerlessness and fear to stop what was happening is honorably depicted and gives an important insight into the complexity of humanity.

This is a personal opinion, but I was not a fan of `Death' as the narrator. Particularly, I did not like the excerpt of commentary throughout the book. I found it distracting, intrusive and interruptive to the flow. The story is to be told from Death's perspective but wavers often to Liesel's, the Book Thief's, perspective. A duel attempt is made to give a different, but similar perspective of humanity, but I'm not sure it heightened or was necessary to include. I'm also not a big fan of epilogues in any book, and specifically was annoyed with the use of this technique in the Book Thief. It was powerful enough to stand alone without the after thoughts. I felt by doing so, it distracted from the imagery that built towards the `end.'

This is among the most stunning books I've ever read. The author's unique ability to play with words in such a way that together they capture and create atmosphere is amazing. Having read numerous books about the horrible period of history that Germany in WWII was, the narrative provided by 'death' brings a totally new perspective. The main character - a 12 year old girl is richly captured in all of her complexity and innocence, as are the events of her life. Perhaps a sequel is in the works? One can only hope as the reader is left wondering how the rest of her life transpired. I highly recommend this book - prepare to be captivated by the writing first, and the story as well.