The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

Synopsis from Borders.com: Set during World War II in Germany, Zusaks groundbreaking novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing, encounters something she can’t resist: books.


This book was recommended to me via an eighth grader’s parents at parent/teacher conferences the end of last month. And it was a good recommendation indeed.

I can’t really say that I “enjoyed” reading the book, because it’s not the kind of book one enjoys even though it is exceptionally good. The topic just doesn’t lend itself to enjoyment. It did take me a bit to get into it as the narrator of the tale is “Death.” However, in the end I don’t believe it could have been written from any other perspective.

I enjoyed the characters and the fleshing out of Liesel’s relationships with the people she encounters: her foster parents, the boy next door, a Jew, the mayor’s wife. They are all multifaceted characters who you grow attached to as you walk through the pages with them.

I definitely recommend.