Author : Markus Zusak
Genre : Historical Fiction, YA
Theme : Compassion, Love of literature, Coming of age
Pages : 584
"It’s just a small story really – about, amongst other things : A girl , an accordionist , some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist fighter, and quite a lot of thievery."
The book is based on World War II historical fiction taking place in Nazi Germany following a girl named Liesel Meminger who stays with her foster parents. On her way to her foster parents house, her brother dies of sickness and that is when Liesel steals a book from his graveside which happens to be the first of many that she would steal. She is a compassionate girl who forms equally beautiful relations with her parents, her best friend, Rudy and later on, a Jew.
The story is narrated by “death” so we get a chance to hear about what “death” goes through as the reaper of souls and shows how he is quite sympathetic towards humans and actually despises war and destruction. This is a story that has sadness right from the outset and though we are already given out some major events of approaching sorrow as a spoiler, our heart breaks all the same when the events actually occur.
“I guess humans like to watch destruction. Sand castles, houses of cards, that’s where they begin. Their great skill is their capacity to escalate.”
In the midst of everything that is going around, Liesel’s family takes in a Jewish man, named Max and hides him in their basement which brings in a lot of inconvenience to them. The characters are put through a lot of trauma and hardship but they continue to develop beautiful relationships with each other that stays strong through everything they go through.
This is an exemplary tale that lays emphasis on the fact that no matter how much hatred there is, someone out there will provide you with just enough love that will make your life less miserable. It throws light on how important words are and how it can either build you up or destroy you from within.
'Yes I know it. In the darkness of my dark beating heart, I know. He'd have loved it alright. You see? Even death has a heart.
Rating : 4/5
Click on the link below to find this book on Amazon :
Subscribe to our blog to get a free ebook of 'The Book Thief', by providing your email id on our home page.
Happy Reading !
コメント