The Book Thief
Book Review
Summary (I hope I didn't spoil anything!)
The Book Thief, written by Markus Zusak, is a book set in Nazi Germany, during 1939 through 1942. First, Liesel Meminger is on her way to her foster parents with her brother in Molching, Germany. On the train, her brother dies, and Liesel continues on by herself with her mother (I've never understood why her mother left her, but I must've missed a big clue in the book). Next, Liesel stays with her Mama, Rosa Hubermann, and her Papa, Hans Hubermann. Liesel has a passion to learn to read and write, so she starts stealing books. Hans Hubermann helps Liesel while she is learning to read and write. Then, a Jewish man, Max Vandenburg, shows up on their doorstep, and Liesel learns the consequences if she were to tell anybody, including her best friend, Rudy Steiner, about him. Finally, Liesel's story ends with a look into the future where Death(the narrator) shows you the end of Liesel's world. She goes through many things throughout this book, and it is a very touching story.
While I Read The Book Thief...
Reading The Book Thief, I was both touched and fascinated. I've heard about the things Adolf Hitler did to get the Germans on his side. He used words to do it all. He used lying, and deception. I was partly horrified for Liesel throughout the book, and wanted to comfort her every time she was sad or angry. I felt like she was my sister, but just far enough so I couldn't reach her.
In the end, I cried super hard, but I do that with a lot of books that have the slightest sad thing in it. Like in Harry Potter, when I read about Dumbledore dying (sorry to anyone who hasn't gotten there yet), I cried both in the movie and book.
Anyway, I finished the book in a matter of a few weeks, even though it's kind of a big book. I carried it almost everywhere with me, and it was hard for me to get into another book after that ending. But, like I've done so many times, I started to read a book I got for Christmas - The House of Hades. I really like it, but I won't go into that book.
Cover
My book had a different cover, but I couldn't find it.
Liesel Meminger
Liesel is the main character, and gets called the book thief by her best friend, Rudy Steiner.
Max Vandenburg
This is the Jew that the Hubermanns were hiding in the basement. The man laying down is Max.