The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, is my favorite book of all time. It is an amazing novel, with beautifully crafted characters and an exceptionally written story.
The Book Thief takes place in Germany during World War II. This is a commonly used time period for many historical fictions, most of which are focused primarily on the suffering of the Jewish people. However, The Book Thief sticks out from the crowd in many ways. The protagonist is a girl named Liesel Meminger, and it shows how she grew up in the midst of Nazi Germany. While it does have an arc when her family hides a Jewish person in their basement, the majority of the book is focused on the life of a German, living under the rule of Hitler, and the quiet protestations of those who weren’t quite so swayed by Hitler’s promises. Not only that, but the ups and downs and the various events of the book can feel sweet and heartwarming one moment but dark and miserable the next.
The characters are amazing. The way Liesel grows from a nine year old child to a fourteen year old teenager documents the way she changes and grows as a person. Every one of her interactions with everyone around her cement the other person’s character and show a glimpse of the person beneath the surface. From her kind, lovable idiot of a best friend to the warmth yet seriousness of her foster father to even the soft, grieving nature of her spiteful next door neighbor, every single character has importance and depth. And the unknown narrator’s cynicism and sarcasm is a welcome addition to add depth to the story.
The aforementioned unknown narrator tells the story beautifully. He unveils the events of the story, many times ahead of the schedule. The terrible, heartbreaking moments that are spoiled hit the readers like a sack of bricks, but they hope that it isn’t true…only for it to be twice as difficult when it really does happen. And while he does break the fourth wall a little bit, it’s always done well and for a good reason.
In the end, The Book Thief is an amazing story. It’s certainly a must read for anyone (at least anyone who doesn’t like stories like Hunger Games and Divergent) and the tear-jerking, heartstring-pulling ending is enough for even the manliest of men to tear up a little. It is indeed a masterpiece.
Iced Tea With Vinegar 