Book Reviews of The Book Thief

The Book Thief is set in Germany during World War 2 but it tells a side to the story that you don't often hear. The story is about Lisel and her foster parents, non-Jewish Germans who don't belong to the Nazi party but they must pretend to in order to protect thier own lives. Death is the narrator and he's tired of his job. Zusak's characters are so rich I cared about every single one and cried at the end. Although this book is categorized as young adult fiction I think it can be appreciated by people of all ages and cultures. It was my introduction to Markus Zusak and I will definitely read more of his work.

When a twelve-year-old girl came up to me crying and asking me if I wanted to borrow this book, I couldn't refuse. She had just finished the story and was so struck by it that she wanted to pass it on for someone else to read. I was hesitant when left alone with the book, as it wasn't really my genre, but as I progressed into it I was amazed by how heartbreakingly beautiful it was.

The Book Thief tells the story of Liesel Meminger, a girl who is raised in Germany during World War II. Her life is torn apart when her mother sends her to a foster home and then loses contact with her. When she first arrives at her new home on Himmel Street, she is haunted by the death of her six year old brother and struggles with her new surroundings and new family.

Liesel finds herself attracted to books, even though she cannot read, which she "steals" through various conventional and unconventional means. Though books are a continuing theme, this story is more about her realtionships with the people that come into and out of her life.

This book is written in a unique and innovative format. Certain points are differently presented to make them more poignant or draw attention to their importance. In some cases, we get to see the drawings and paintings by the people in Liesel's life.

The whole story is narrated by Death, but not in a tacky way. It seems to present Death as a hopeful yet sad onlooker as he gently carries the souls of the lost away in his arms while keeping an eye on the life of The Book Thief.

The history in this play is mostly accurate to the best of my knowledge. It is a realistic presentation of Germany during the war and of the lives of the people impacted by it. The story is rich and well-told, the ending is devastating and brilliant, and the book is gripping, particularly towards the latter half.

This book is a bestseller, currently ranking at the top of Amazon's children's book list, though this is not a book that I would plass in that category. It is probably one of, if not the best book I have read this year, and I was almost sad to pass it back to the twelve-year-old girl who owned it.

4.8 out of 5. Highly recommended.


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What a powerful, wonderful book! It was heart-rending, heart-warming, wonderful, painful, compelling… all these things and more. I've just finished listening to this book and I feel stunned and rather bruised. It is such a powerful, wonderful book, yet the subject matter is very sad and at times horrific. I am pretty amazed that this is supposed to be a children's book (first of all, it is huge!). It is so very well written, absolutely beyond perfection. In all my years, I have never deeply considered what it must have been like as a young child or teen living in Nazi Germany. This book is vividly written, and I feel as though I lived with the child characters. As a book lover and collector, this book spoke to my spirit and soul. All I can say is "READ IT." On a practical note, I think that a person who listens to this book on audio should also have the hard copy available so that they can see the drawings within its page.

This book doesn't need any more glowing five star reviews, so I'll keep it brief. It's beautiful. Destined to become a classic. I won't be reposting it, because I'm going to have my wife read it, and then my kids, and then it's going on my shelf to be re-read. Highly recommended.

A profoundly moving and remarkable story about a young girl living in Germany with a foster family during WWII. The story is told from an interesting point of view, Death, and is one of the best YA books I've read. The foster family takes in Liesel, the protagonist of the story and teaches her to read and write. Other friends will help her deal with the poverty and heartaches of war. I think this is destined to be a classic. I cannot more highly recommend this book!

Wonderful. I wasn't even aware that it was for young readers until someone told me about it after I was finished with it. It was hard to put down at times and wonderfully written. Having Death as the narrator was genius.

This book was a wonderful read. So many historical aspects. It was cryptic in the beginning, so I was unsure, but as I kept going it progressed to where I could not put it down. I now have a fascination with trying to read more books like this, especially pertaining to the history of Nazi Germany.

Liesel is too young to deal with the death of her younger brother, the abandonment of her mother, abject poverty, and also WWII, bombings and the ugliness Hitler introduced into her life (and ours). She's a survivor, and impresses even Death with her strength and her love of words that provide her shelter in her difficult life.

This was another one of those books where I wasn't sure what to expect. I am super glad I read it though! It was a thoroughly entertaining, amusing, and heartbreaking read.

Death is the narrator of this novel in the most literal sense. He follows the story of a young girl Liesel. Liesel is a young girl following a tough road. Her mother, brother and her flee to a small town near Munich. When they get there her brother dies, and her mother takes her to be put into a foster home. Liesel finds a decent home with her foster parents and eventually befriends a young boy named Rudy. This book follows both Liesel's journey and the journey of those around her as they struggle through trying to make a living in Nazi Germany.

This was a fabulous book. Death as a narrator is genius. He is portrayed as a guy who does his job, but doesn't relish in it. He does what needs to be done and survives by looking at things with a dark wit and sardonic nature. Much of the narrative is darkly humorous and witty coming from Death's perspective. Occasionally Death bemoans the fact that Nazi Germany kept him extremely busy and wore him to the bone. Death occasionally gets off topic and rambles about what death a certain side character met, or a time when one of the characters narrowly avoided him. The narrative of Death is not all humor though; he is touched by compassion for humanity and sometimes struggles with the trials he sees humans put through.

Liesel is another fascinating character in what is a vast array of fascinating characters. She starts stealing books before she can even read them. In the end it is her book stealing (and reading) skills that help put the town at ease in a time of trial; in the end it is her book reading that saves her. It was fascinating to watch how Liesel and her friends struggle with being proper Germans in a Nazi Germany. You always here a lot about the races the Nazi's oppressed, but you don't often read about how oppressed the normal German people were under Hilter's thumb. Rudy is, of course, very interesting in his own right as is, Max, the Jew Liesel's family helps hide.

I was really impressed by how much depth and history all of the characters, even minor ones, bring to the story. All of the characters seem so real and you feel for them all. You even feel sorry for Death. Yet at the same time most of the characters look at their lives with a type of dark humor that makes life bearable.

This is a long book and not a quick read; but every page was worth it. The story always has some urgency as things get worse and worse for the townspeople, the Jews, and Germany in general. Towards the end I found myself cringing as I got closer and closer to what I knew wasn't going to be a very happy ending. Keep in mind this is about Nazi Germany, not much ended happy in that time for anyone. At times this book will make you laugh, at times it makes you angry, and at times it will make you cry. It is wonderful for a book to be able to evoke all those emotions, and to be honest the book took a couple days to process after I read it.

I think everyone should read this book. I think everyone's kids should read this book. People need to remember and know what happened in Nazi Germany and this perspective, from a common German girl's viewpoint, is a great way to get a relatively unbiased viewpoint. I will definitely read anything else that Zusak writes; this book is a keeper.

This is one of my favorite books. Death is so interesting. That sounds weird, but since the book is written from Death's perspective, it really isn't weird. I was engaged from the beginning to the very last page. The copy I read was a library book and I've been wanting to own it ever since. I hope someone gives up a copy.

I love Historical Fiction novels and I heard all the wonderful reviews about this book so I decided to try it. I was very disappointed. The style of writing is very different and I couldn't get past the first chapter.

I loved the book! The development of the characters was seamless and believable. Some parts were heartbreaking but I couldn't put the book down.

Years ago we lived near Dachau and I'll never forget the sculpture at the entrance to the camp. It was a crown of thorns made of barbed wire. The most moving art we've ever seen and seeing the reaction to it of others was very emotional as well.

This book is such a testament to human strength and spirit.

This is a great fictionialized book about the Holocaust along the line of "The Diary of Anne Frank". It centers on a young German girl during the Holocaust who finds a book at the grave of her brother, and steals it, thus beginning her life of book stealing. It's about words, and how powerful they can be to change people's lives for the good and bad. Narrated by "death" in the 3rd person, it's about 3 love stories, over 4 generations of the lives of ordinary people. Tho it is brutally tragic, it is also uplifting. This book has received numerous awards and will probably become a classic.

I'm a fan of historical fiction and WWII stories, and this is by far one of the best I've read. I was a little slow with it at first because the style of writing is very unique, and telling a story from Death's point of view made it even more different. After pushing through the first couple of sections and adjusting to Zusak's style of writing, I flew right through the book.

I'd recommend this book to anyone -- it's a great way to understand other peoples' points of view who were not supporting Hitler, and what life was like.

My heart is still racing. Perhaps it is still breaking. This novel is the most devastating, heartbreaking, thought provoking book I have read in years. It is powerful and beautiful and astounding. I read all 550 pages over the course of approximately 36 hours and the characters are still spinning around my head and heart. Markus Zusak has written a masterpiece. Truly. From the narration by Death to the relationships between Liesel and all the various characters, there was not a single misstep. Simply amazing. This is a book that should be required reading for all of humanity

Wow. It's about all I can say. Not many books actually deserve to be on the New York Times Bestseller list, which makes it difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff, but it's easy to see why this one is up there. Well deserving of 5 stars, as well as all the awards it has garnered, this moving and absorbing tale about a young girl in Nazi Germany who steals books shows a different side of the war. The narration by Death gives it an unusual poignancy mixed with a matter-of-factness that seems fitting. It will make my top 10 for the year, no question. I can't do justice to in a short review - READ IT.

I passed this book many times while browsing the teen section for a good "quick" read. I picked it up a few times and read the back and thought that it wouldn't be interesting enough for me. I did the usual judge the book by the cover. How wrong indeed I was! I saw a review on here and decided to give it a go. It definitely is an amazing book. I could not put it down and soon became consumed by it until the end. It is one of those books that stays with you a long time after you read it.

For a book directed towards children, I found this book to be surprisingly grown up and a beautiful story. I truly did love it. Set in Nazi Germany, the book focused mostly on the beauty that survived this terrible regime. It moved me to tears. The narrator as Death worked wonderfully. My only complaint is that I would've liked to learn more about Liesel's life after the book ended...

Listed as a young adult selection, this is a book that all should read. Nazi Germany from an entirely different perspective, and a great reminder that we can all make a difference in someone's life no matter what our age or how horrific the times. This is a brilliant illustration of how even small steps will make a difference.

This is one of those books you pick up on a whim. Didn't really think to much about it. Then after I bought it and saw it was for young readers I wanted to return it but I bought it in a small bookstore in another state while travelling.I went ahead and read it...OMG! I read it in 3 or 4 days. It is now one of my top 20 favorate books of all time. Not for young readers (I'm not sure why it was marketed that way) but for anyone really. Very moving and told from a very interesting perspective.
Enjoy!

This is the most powerful book I have read in quite some time. Liesel is a small girl of nine, on a train with her mother and brother to meet her foster parents. She will live with her Papa and Mama on Himmel Street in an impoverished suburb of Munich from 1939 to the end of the war. She is initially illiterate, but Papa lovingly teaches her to read. To relieve the boredom and for the shear love of words, she takes to stealing books - her most precious possessions. The story is narrated by Death, but not in a morbid or morose way at all; instead, Death is rather bemused by humans, and is an observer of the way humans interact. He will even state, "He didn't deserve to die like that."

What this girl learns and experiences during the next five years of her life, as she moves into adolescence during the war in Nazi Germany, is a moving story of love, hardship, compassion and survival.

I must add a note about the writing itself. The author uses words and expressions that are very unique, and I found reading his book delightful.

This has got to be one of the best books that I've read in a long time... The authors writing was fabulous... I'm thinking of adding this to my keeper pile!

Told from the perspective of Death, and focusing on a small, German town during World War II, the subject matter of "The Book Thief" seemed a little dark for young-adult literature. However, Death narrates with a refreshingly thoughtful perspective on human life. I really enjoyed Death’s input here and there throughout the story.

The Book tells the story of Liesel Meminger’s life during the war. She’s a young girl at the time, just learning to live in new surroundings, with a new family. She has escaped Death a few times in the past, and has become a sort of quiet obsession for Death throughout her lifetime. Liesel’s story is tragic at times, and also inspirational. In certain ways, her life is defined by literature. You grow to love Liesel and many of the other characters in this book, as well (even some you may not even like at first). Most of the characters in this story are well developed and plot will keep you turning the pages. I highly recommend this novel.

This may well be the best book I've ever read. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone. The story of a little girl living in Nazi Germany during World War II is interesting enough, that fact that she learns to read and love the written word through book thievery is even more interesting . . . but what propels this book to being extraordinary is the fact that the narrator is Death himself, a supernatural and yet surprisingly human-like being who is sometimes wry and humorous and sometimes bitter and harsh, but who is ultimately tortured by the people like Liesel who were left behind. Markus Zusak is a phenomenal writer with a gift for story and a way of manipulating the English language in an incredibly compelling way. This is a must read, no matter who you are.

As Death, the narrator, is haunted by humans, I am haunted by this book. I don't think I have ever read a book that has touched me as deeply as this book. The poetry of the language is a marvel, the story itself is mesmerizing and the characters are beautifully conceived. This is a difficult book to read at times; the depiction of Nazi Germany and all that entails, but it is also uplifting and joyous. Don't let the fact that this is marketed as a young adult book deter you from reading. It is a great read for adults.

When I saw that this was about Nazi Germany, at first I didn't want to read it. The holocaust stories upset me so tremendously. But I read some of the reviews here and found that it was written from a different point of view, so I gave it a try. I'm not saying that the book is all roses and sweetness; but it is a powerful story with so many layers and elements of truth that I just couldn't stay away from it. The story of Liesel could be the story of any German child growing up in that era. The narrator of the story is Death Himself, but as he describes himself he is not the hooded image with the sickle. I got the feeling that this narrator was doing a job he was assigned during a difficult period, and he had some compassion for those he 'carried away'. The Book Thief will make you smile and it will bring tears to your eyes; it's a story you won't soon forget.

Even though this book says its for young adults I think any age will enjoy this book.It is a fascinating story.What caught my attention was that the girl loved to read and she was always looking for a book to read.It sounded just like me.I love the way death narrates the story and we find out what he thinks and feels.I highly recommend this book.

the story is about liesel meminger, a jewish girl fostered by a german couple in germany during/before world war II. and quite uncommonly, death is the narrator of the story. interesting read, although there are pages in the book where i felt i was lost. death somehow distracted me, with the way he switches the scenarios and the way he tells it. sometimes i would even experience boredom as some parts were too long.

this book, as we know what holocaust stories are all about, features death and dying, war and other aspects of life such as love, hope, friendship, acceptance and compassion among others. summing it up, it's a good story.

what really tugged my heart, almost to a point where i cried, was liesel's friendship with rudy steiner and their "kiss". it was, for me, the most beautiful and at the same time, the most painful and saddest part of the story.

It took me about a year and a half to get through this book. The plot was not very in depth (although a deep subject) and it didn't keep my interest. I read it b/c of the high rating but I couldn't rate it as high.

I am loving this book. It is written in a really unique style and even though the subject matter is at times difficult, it has been written in such a way that you can't wait to find out what happens next. I recommend it.

Absolutely amazing book, stunning story and beautifully written. It's thought provoking and emotionally engaging, in short everything that a good novel should be. While it is quite sad at times, you'll never regret reading it. The author's skill is also quite astounding, he never makes the mistakes many young adult authors do, and doesn't talk down to the reader. All in all this is an amazing book and definatly a must read for all book lovers.

We all know how this era of history ends. A sweet book with heart and soul. Hard to start, death's introduction take a couple of pages to digest. Then you're attached to these characters and thier place in fictional history. This book has a permanent place on my top ten list.

If you enjoy this book, once you've recovered your emotions, rent "the kid in the striped pajamas".

Yikes! I feel like a horrible person for saying I did not really enjoy this book. The writing was really, really distracting with the use of different fonts and font sizes. I guess as an adult I didn't expect Death (the narrator) to be so...immature? I did catch the sadness and the quiet horror of the book. Perhaps the author was trying to stand out from the crowd of books told from the persepective of a child?

This is absolutely one of the best books I've ever read. Such a unique style of writing. Don't miss this one!!

It took me about 20 pages to get used to the concept of "death as narrator". Other than this slight stumbling block, I found this book to be amazing. Completely original. Heartbreaking yet not sappy. Completely engrossing. Wow.

Highly recommended. One of the best books I've read in 2009.

This book falls into that rare category of good literature combined with a good read.
Set in Germany during WWII, this novel is about an adopted girl (Liesel) growing up in a small town amid the poverty and propaganda of the war. While there are themes of war, survival, and Jewish compassion this book is really about the relationships Liesel forms with her friend, father, townsfolk, and Jewish protectee.

This book is narrated by a very compassionate Grim Reaper who keeps tabs on Liesel amid collecting the souls of the fallen. This adds a very unique element to the book without detracting from the seriousness of the novel.

4 stars out of 5

Truly and incredible book. Could not put it down. Highly recommend to EVERYONE!

Excepts for the parts where I was tearing up almost too much to read, I barely put this book down. Having death as the narrator manages not to be creepy, but the horrors of War (and especially of WW II) come through loud and clear.
However I'm not sure I would classify it as "young adult". The experiences and environment of young Liesel are more than I would want most 13 year olds to handle. I'm over 60 and it was hard enough for me.

Fantastic and comforting story about terrible times before and during WWII.

This book was amazing! What a deep rich moving story of a child in WWII with nothing and no one. She finds a family in her foster home. The book shows a different point of view about the war that you usually don't see. Wonderful characters, rich details and very thought provoking all through out. It is a book that will stay with you for a long time. It is one I always recommend and have on hand to give out. One you need to read!!

I had to read this book for one of my college courses and I found it surprisingly good. It's very well-written in a style I thought unique to the subject matter and it never lagged in its pacing. A worthy read, indeed.

Do not be fooled by the "young adult" category in which this book has been placed. It is a haunting and moving story that will easily appeal to readers of any age.

The Book Thief takes place in WWII Nazi Germany. It manages to breathe fresh life into the era by having the story narrated by Death, an overworked grim reaper with a dry sense of humor who suffers from the tedium of his thankless job.

This story follows a young girl sent to live with a German couple who are sympathetic to the Jewish suffering of that time. And while that is far from an original plot, Zusak manages to make it unique. He has ways of turning phrases and describing the world that are both quirky and delightfully original. His characters are realistically, if not painfully, drawn.

This book will make you laugh, it will make you think, and then it will break your heart. Give it a try. You shouldn't be disappointed.

It took me awhile to get into this story. The story is narrated from the perspective of Death. Its hard to unravel exactly what has happened to the characters in the beginning. But overall an easy read and an interesting exercise in perspective, and revealing of details as the story progresses.

An amazing, heartbreaking, uplifting story.

Another book club hit. Billed as a young adult novel, but frankly, that sells it short.

very good book Highly recommend

If you only read one book this year, make it this one. Although this book is classified as a "Young Adult Fiction" I was interested in reading it because of the rave reviews it got. I'm glad I did. It is the story of Liesel, a young German girl whose book-stealing and story-telling talents help sustain her family, friends, and the Jewish man they are hiding. It's told by "Death" who is trying to make sense of the horrors of World War II. This well written heart breaker blew me away. Add this to your "must read" list no matter your age. You won't be sorry.

An excellent read. I read this book in two evenings---could not put it down. Even a week later I find myself thinking about the book and storyline. It is a book that will stay with you for a long time. Definately a keeper.

A good read, but I just didn't think it was up to all the hype I had read about it.

Absolutely amazing!!!!!

Wonderful book! Such an interesting narrative! And really gives another side of Nazi Germany.

This book was superbly written. I wouldn't say that there was anything "new" in it, in terms of plot. I think the WWII topic has been pretty much exhausted in terms of story plots. So, I didn't really feel like I was reading anything new.

However, what made it superb, and kept my interest was the writing, as well as the narrator. I don't think I've ever seen a WWII book where the narrator is death. And the way in which the story unfolds, the way it's written, the way it's told ... well, like I said, absolutely superb.

This book will haunt you in many ways. Told from the perspective of Death, we are brought into the WWII world of Liesel, a young girl living with her foster parents in Germany. We meet a number of people in her life: her friend Rudy who is made fun of because of his admiration of Jesse Owens, her foster parents Hans and Rosa who show their love for Liesel in different ways, Max who is a Jewish fist-fighter for whom life will never be the same once Hitler rises to power & finds himself hiding in Liesel's foster parents' basement, and the mayor's wife who witnesses Liesel's first act of stealing. Liesel arrives at Hans and Rosa's house illiterate and haunted by the death of her brother. When Hans teaches her to read from the book she stole at the gravesite, Liesel finds her world opened up to words and begins to steal them whenever they call to her. We also witness the changes in Liesel's world as WWII progresses, and the reader really gets the sense that the average person in Germany was just trying to survive the war. Too often, people lump all Germans into the Nazi category, but Markus Zusak does a fantastic job portraying life in Liesel's poor village, where survival is the bigger concern, and that there were people who wanted to do the right thing, even if it wasn't safe to do.

I strongly recommend this book, and wish that it was required reading for any middle/ high school course that teaches WWII. For a book that is considered "young adult," it is quite long at 550 pages. The writing style with interludes from the narrator takes a little getting used it, but I love the fact that the chapters are very short because it makes you feel like you're making progress in the book quickly. Once you finish this book, you will find that it sticks with you for a long time!

Awesome book!

This was a very good book considering the subject matter. I wasn't too sure about the writing format at first - but after the first chapter it made sense. Definately recommend this to other readers.

Reviewed by Cana Rensberger for TeensReadToo.com

THE BOOK THIEF is on of the most memorable books I've read in a long time. It takes place during World War II in Molching, Germany. It's the writing, the unusual narrator (death), and the characters sketched in vivid colors that make this novel so difficult to put down.

Meet Leisel, the book thief, whose first encounter with death occurs on a train with her mama and brother - on their way to meet her foster parents.

Meet Rosa Hubermann, Leisel's new mama, whose rough, crude exterior can't hide the heart inside.

Meet Hans Hubermann, Leisel's firm foundation. The man who stays up with her after her nightmares, who teaches her to read her first stolen book, who finds empathy in a slice of stale bread.

Meet Max, a Jew, the shadow in the basement, a skeleton later seen marching, or more aptly, stumbling, down the road.

Meet Rudy, the lemon-haired Jesse Owens, Leisel's partner in crime and best friend, the one who yearns for Leisel's kiss.

Meet the Führer, the invisible, potent master of words.

Meet death, in a metal cockpit, on a snow-covered field mottled in red, hanging from a rafter at the end of a rope, sitting at a simple kitchen table, under a pile of rubble that used to be a home.

Markus Zusak fills the reader with vivid images of humans at war, humans led to the unthinkable by a force they cannot control. Some go willingly, others have no choice. Those left behind are merely attempting to survive each day as life crumbles around them. Leisel survives by stealing books.

As I read the final chapters of THE BOOK THIEF, I literally had to close the book to get my emotions under control before reading on to meet death. It was inevitable -- he would meet me at the end of the book. As I emerged from the story at the turning of the back cover, my reality felt so jarringly wrong. It was as though I went from a black and white silent movie to a new world: bright, free, and colorful. You cannot read this novel without feeling a resounding resolve that this should never, ever, happen again.

The writing is incredible. Mr. Zusak gave death such an unusual perspective. His descriptive phrases are nothing short of brilliant. THE BOOK THIEF is a powerful read that should not be missed by anyone, teen or adult!

Fantastic read. Surprised to learn that it was written for young adults.

I don't think I would do this book justice in just a few words. It made me cry, laugh, think about those important to me, and pray for an ending that is different than what I knew it would be. What could you expect when the narrator is death? Although death consistently interrupts with hints of what happens in the end, it is still heartbreaking when it comes. I'm a little sad that the book is over now.

A young girl is about to be placed in foster care. Her mother is too poor to take care of Leisel and her brother, so she is taking them to Munich to be given over to a foster family. On the train ride, Leisel's brother dies. Then she is handed off to a woman who yells and cusses at her and an accordion player who seems to allow his wife to run things. Leisel's life begins to change for the better as her foster father begins to teach her to read and her friendship grows with the next door neighbor, Rudy. Words revolutionize Leisel. She first is powerful against them, but then becomes powerful by using them. Her reading inspires healing during bomb raids, sickness, and melts the heart of death himself. The connection of books end up her savior in the end.

I can't imagine anyone not liking this book. It does begin slowly, but the characters all become to grow on you. The triumphs and failures of each of the main characters move the reader as if they were part of the scenes. It is truly remarkable how much I was sucked into this book. I cried at least four times even though I knew what was going to happen well before it happened. Death attempts to make all of the readers comfortable with the idea of destruction that will rip Leisel's world apart, but it didn't help me. I know this review has been all over the place, but it's because there is so much that I would want to say that I can't get it out in a logical sequence. All I can tell you is that you NEED to read this book!

My Rating: 5 stars isn't enough!

How do I, as a book blogger, review a book that is wrought with so much emotion and so much angst and turmoil that I was sobbing by the end of the book? How can I adequately put into words how much of an impact this book had on me as a human being? I honestly don't know if it is possible to review this book effectively, but I'll give it my best shot!

I am a huge fan of historical fiction, especially of events in and around World War II. The Holocaust was an absolutely horrifying event in our world's history (and horrifying is putting it mildly), but I am, for whatever reason, drawn towards these types of fictional and non-fictional accounts of WWII. I don't know why. I break down crying every time I read a book about this time period, but I continue to seek out more of it. I wish I could explain it.

The Book Thief is a unique story in that it is narrated by Death. I was a bit leery at first because I wasn't sure how this type of narration would play out through the entire novel. I have to say that it worked wonderfully and I can't imagine the book told in any other way, without losing the power and overall feeling of the story. From the very first page, Death hooks the reader with His (Her?) account of his many visits to Germany during WWII. But, this story isn't just about Death, even though he was around quite a bit during that time. It is a story about a young German girl named Liesel Meminger, otherwise known as The Book Thief. It is a story about how books can help a person survive in a period of utter despair. It is a story of relationships; of love; of friendship; and of the power of the written word.

I've written and re-written this review many times. I've decided not to go into any details because I don't want to give away the magic of the novel. It is spellbinding, but heart-wrenching. It is a book that must be experienced first-hand. No review could possibly do it justice.

I will leave it at that.

Jennifer
http://www.crazy-for-books.com

An amazing accomplishment for a 30-year old male author, this book offers a non-Jewish perspective on the Holocaust and living in Germany as it unfolded. An easy read for any reader, including the author's targeted young adult, this novel offers a second plane of themes and thought for the thinking reader. Words play a main character role throughout the story, popping up in new disguises everywhere. This book is truly a delightful read on many levels.

This was a wonderful book. It showed that there can be compassion even in the worst circumstances. I loved death as the narrator. I helped get to know the depth of the characters!!

Excellent writing; unique perspective with Death as narrator. Those who enjoy WWII historical fiction will enjoy this book.

I recommend this book, although it is in the YA category, I was drawn in too. This book centers around Nazi Germany, narrated by "Death". The main storyline is about an adopted teenage German girl, and how her world is affected by Hitler, especially when they decide to hide a Jew in the basement. Good read.

Creative, engaging.

This is one of the most powerful books I have ever read.

You can't help but be a better person after reading this book.

This was a touching story, but it was a sad one. It made me see the way things were for Germans during the persecution of the Jewish community.

This was a beautifully written, thought provoking book about words, friendship, hope and love despite fear and uncertainty. I especially liked the interactions between Liesel and the people around her. I also liked Death as a narrator who sees both the good and bad in humans.

I loved this book! I really liked the concept of Death being the narrator. It tackled a really grim subject without being morbid. Very well-written.