I guess humans like to watch a little destruction. The Book Thief takes place in Munich, Germany on the eve of and then during WWII, and Markus Zusak presents the very human side of war, the strength of individuals and the many complex reasons for their actions. Zusak discusses this key decision and more in this video interview: Source Compelling themes It suffices to say that at some point in time, I will be standing over you, as genially as possible. You will know me well enough and soon enough, depending on a diverse range of variables. ‘Where are my manners? I could introduce myself properly, but it’s not really necessary. In my humble opinion, an author that can make his audience feel empathy for Death has a special talent. This Death has a heart and an ironic sense of humour.

But Zusak’s Death is not the one-dimensional character we are used to. Markus Zusak’s decision to cast Death as the narrator was an absolute master-stroke. Could a book about The War really be that original? I had also read so many rave reviews that I must admit I was a little sceptical. Why? Probably because The Book Thief is almost 600 pages long and classified as ‘young adult’ fiction, a genre I am not normally drawn to. I had this widely acclaimed novel by Australian author Markus Zusak on my to-be-read list on my Kindle for an embarrassingly long time. Genre: Literature, Historical, Drama, Action-Adventure When Liesel’s foster family hides a Jewish fist-fighter in their basement, Liesel’s world is both opened up, and closed down.

Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor’s wife’s library, wherever there are books to be found.īut these are dangerous times. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordion-playing foster father, learns to read. It is The Gravedigger’s Handbook, left there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. By her brother’s graveside, Liesel’s life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It will be the first of many near encounters. On the journey, Death visits the young boy, and notices Liesel. Liesel’s father was taken away on the breath of a single, unfamiliar word – Kommunist – and Liesel sees the fear of a similar fate in her mother’s eyes. Liesel Meminger and her younger brother are being taken by their mother to live with a foster family outside Munich. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

Book thief