A review by clairetcarroll
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

5.0

The Book Thief is a historical fiction novel told from the perspective of death. Our narrator tells the story of Liesel Meminger. Set during World War II in Germany, Liesel’s mother could no longer afford to take care of Liesel and her brother and had to send them to a foster family. On the train ride to Munich, Liesel’s brother dies. Liesel steals her first book at her brother’s funeral. Without her brother, Liesel now has to find support and friendship in her new situation. Her foster father teaches her to read. Her friend, Rudy Steiner, becomes her accomplice in stealing books. She forges an unexpected friendship with Max Vandenburg, the Jewish man they hide in the basement. This is a remarkable story about the power of words, and throughout the novel, Liesel learns what happens when those words are used for good or for evil.

For the rest of the review visit http://stayingcurious.wordpress.com/2012/04/03/the-book-thief/