A review by sfbookgirl
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Book Thief is an incredibly moving story about World War II in Nazi Germany. Geared towards young adult readers, The Book Thief is an excellent introduction to the Holocaust and is narrated by Death itself. Like all Holocaust books I have read over the years, The Book Thief is one that will stay with me for a while. It is important that we remember the inhumane actions of society that resulted in complete and utter destruction. Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Day of Remembrance, is occurring this year beginning on the evening of April 7th. Let us observe this day and remind ourselves of the 12 million people who perished as a result of Nazi Germany. 

While its subject matter is heartbreaking, The Book Thief is amongst many of the important books to read about the Holocaust. The one element that made this book unsettling (besides its tough subject matter) is the use of blackface in the novel. A young boy is seen in blackface to appear like his hero, Jesse Owens. I found this completely unnecessary and inappropriate and I am surprised that this issue isn’t more widely discussed amongst reviews of this book. Like many books we may have enjoyed during our childhood, it’s important that we think critically about what underlying concepts these classics contain.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings