Review: The Book Thief

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was absolutely phenomenal. This reminded me, at some level, of the Diary of Anne Frank. Although this book tells the story of the Germans in World War II and comes from the perspective of Death as "he" is an onlooker while collecting his souls. He becomes fascinated by a young girl (a book thief) as she begins a new life in a new town with a new family.
Basically, this book is the story of a young German girl, Leisel, and her foster family during the late 1930's and the early 1940's. Leisel is adopted as a young girl by Rosa and Hans Huberman. She has a special bond with Hans (Papa) and he teaches her how to read slowly as she is far behind her peers. What we learn from page 1 is that Leisel is a book thief and has a love of words and stories. She learns to read from the books she steals. Their bond is described and shown so beautifully throughout the book.
As time moves on, we start to see Leisel grow up in these war times and become part of the Hilter youth. We get to see the ugliness as it grows around her. Rosa and Hans even begin to harbor a young Jewish man, Max, in their basement. Just like Papa, Leisel forms a special bond with Max throughout the years.
This book has so much heart and completely broke me at some points. It takes a lot to make me tear up and this book had me literally crying at times. Leisel is forced to face horror and heartbreak in a world crumbling apart, this world that treats Jewish people and anyone that dares defy the Nazi culture as dirt. I felt that these characters were real and my heart hurt so many times.
In my opinion, this is a must read. Such an important book and at the same level as Anne Frank and Elie Wiesel.

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