eBook Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Synopsis:

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

By her brother's graveside, Liesel Meminger's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Grave Digger's Handbook, left there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. 

So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordion-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.

But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up and closed down.

***

Liesel Meminger is a girl who was sent to Molching, Munich by her mother to live with her foster parents, Hans Hubermann and Rosa Hubermann. On the way to her forster parents's house, she stole her first book near the graveyard where her brother was buried. Liesel loved book, even though she could not read a word. Fortunately, she got very nice and lovely foster parents who let her attend school.

That was Papa who figured out that Liesel had stolen a book but cannot read it by herself. Therefore, Papa, who loved playing accordion and rolling cigarette, used to read her some sentences before sleeping, or even at midnight until Liesel could read by herself. This kind of habit made Liesel loved book more than she could feel and she always wanted to steal more and more books. By Rudy's company, the boy next door, Liesel stole more books and sometimes foods.

One day, she got a guest. He was Max, the Jew. As you know, Jew was somebody who was banned to live good during Hitler era. Hiding a Jew in her house made Liesel's foster parents should be very careful, unless they would get death sentence as the punishment of hiding a Jew. Liesel too had to keep it as a top secret. For Liesel Max was a very good friend and a good brother. He was the one who loved writing at that house that Liesel got so much inspiration from to write her own story one day. 

Living in a World War II period never gave good chance to people in Liesel neighborhood to live peacefully. Death was something threatening everybody every single second. And war used to take everyone she loved without any permission. So it came the day, when a book entitled The Book Thief was the only thing remained in her hands. What could she do with that?

~o~

The Book Thief is a brilliant book!! I got so much excitement reading this book, even though I should admit that it takes such a long time for me to finish reading it. But, I can say that it is worthy. To be honest, The Book Thief written by Markus Zusak is the first historical fiction book I read telling about Nazi era. I have heard about Diary of Anne Frank but I have not got a chance to read it yet. To tell you the truth, reading The Book Thief drains my emotions.

The main characters involved in this book are about five characters. They are Liesel Meminger, Rudy Steiner, Hans Hubermann, Rosa Hubermann, and Max Vandenburg. Liesel Meminger is described as a very young girl who falls in love with book everyday. She is typical girl who is brave-hearted and a bit stubborn. Rudy Steiner, her beloved friend, is described as a boy who likes sports and foods. He always dreams to be a very good runner like his idol, Jesse Owens. Hans Hubermann is a very warm-hearted Papa meanwhile Rosa Hubermann is a nice but easy-to-angry Mama. Further, Max is described as a young man who is very nice and smart. Not to mention, there is The Death as an invisible main character and also a wonderful narrator.

Germany during World War II is taken as the setting. The author mostly focuses on exploring Molching in Munich as the main setting where Liesel, Rudy, and her family live. Meanwhile, the focused time setting in this story is around 1939-1943 during the Nazi era.

The main conflicts found in The Book Thief are mostly about how Liesel Meminger would survive during Nazi era and how she could use "words" to make peace and close relation to everybody in her life. Besides, there are also some conflicts related to her friendship with Rudy and her feeling about Hitler and his tyranny.

The plot of this story is quite easy to follow, even though sometimes I get lost and I have to re-read some chapters back again. The narrator, who is The Death himself, sets the storyline into a very dramatic, tragic, but interesting to read. Not to give you any spoiler, but the ending of this story is very heart-breaking but relieving. I got so much relief when I finished reading this book for sure.

Over all, I am falling in love with this book. This historical fiction book tells more about humanity. It also brings me back to World War II era very dramatically. How the author make the story is very brilliant that it drains my emotions away. For those who like reading such historical fiction, especially the one related to German Nazi, I really recommend you reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

The quotations I like the most:

"The only thing worse than a boy who hates you. A boy who loves you." (Chapter 4)

"Silence was not quiet or calm, and it was not peace." (Chapter 55)

"You know something, Liesel, I was thinking. You're not a thief at all." and he didn't give her a chance to reply. " That woman lets you in. She even leaves you cookies, for Christ's sake. I don't call that stealing. Stealing is what army does. Taking your father and mine." (Rudy, chapter 71)

The Book's Information:

Title: The Book Thief

Author: Markus Zusak

Publisher: Knopf Books

Edition: I/eBook English version

Published: December 2007

Pages: 442

ISBN: 978-0-307-43384-8
Genre: Young-Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction, Adventure, Thriller

My rating: 5 out of 5 crowns

~Happy Reading~
xoxoxo