A review by hardkaapi
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

emotional informative reflective sad fast-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? No

5.0

A book so famous and hyped, this one is definitely unique. The genius of it all starts with making Death (yes, the concept of death) the narrator of this tale. It sounds a little crazy at first but I really liked this choice because it makes the tragic, gut wrenching moments almost bearable. Death, here, is not the evil taker of lives but simply the eternal transporter of souls, a Sisyphus, if you will. He shares the story of 10-year-old Liesel Meminger and her foster parents in Nazi Germany in a tired, yet pained voice because what else can you expect from a being who is forever surrounded by dying humans? The book covers themes of war, loss, friendship, love, time, reading and most importantly, family. The author is able to perfectly capture the essence of living in such horrific times by mentioning the little things. This book is about humans trying to survive a never-ending storm and how the tiniest voice can silence the noises around you. 

I also loved the way the author has handled emotions, through incredibly simple yet profound metaphors ("Like most misery, it started with apparent happiness"). Apart from the narration, the format of sharing little notes with the reader like German word meanings, a simultaneously occurring event or an overview of a side character helps with the pacing of the story. Another brilliant move by Markus Zusak is that he has managed to avoid every single trope and cliche possible. Though held as a Holocaust novel, it is less descriptive about the true horrors of Dachau and lets the characters shine through instead. Liesel is an independent, strong girl who is raised and treated as an adult which makes her a brilliant protagonist and her young age is never used as an excuse to demean her or make her story childish. This book is truly a masterpiece because it shows the impact of war on the ones who have the most to lose but are always forgotten. People will remember the bomb that took 45000 lives but never the people themselves. They are not mere statistics, they are humans who lost their lives and families in a war that was decided for them ("Is there cowardice in the acknowledgement of fear?"). 

As reading a ten-part, 600 page long book seems intimidating, here are some things to comfort you: 

1. This is an easy read. 

2. It picks up almost immediately and never plateaus. 

3. Most of it is told through the point of view of a child so the language is simple as well. 

4. There are no confusing subplots, only a single focused narrative. 

5. It has short chapters to keep you hooked and immediate translations for any German expressions. 

Trust me, this book is worth your time because the characters are so memorable and one of a kind, they will definitely hold a place in your heart. It is a story that deserves to be loved, please read!