The Book Thief

Bibliography:

Zusak, M. (2005). The book thief. Alfred A. Knopf.

Plot Summary:

The Book Thief tells the story of Liesel, a young girl living with foster parents in Germany during World War II. Liesel’s foster parents hide a Jewish man named Max from the Nazis. Hans, Liesel’s foster father, teaches her to read and write. This sparks something in Liesel as she begins to steal books that are being destroyed. Liesel begins writing her own story and creates a common interest with Max during these dark war times.

Critical Analysis:

Marcus Zusak creates a story that will leave a mark with you. The time period and the location that the story takes place in, takes the reader into a different time where you forget that you’re reading a story. Considering the dark period, Zusak makes the narrator, Death, very lighthearted and bright with a little bit of humor at times. It created a contrast to the dark story that was being told. Death is trying to understand human actions and even stomps on a picture of Hitler after a bomb raid kills thousands of souls that he now has to collect. The Book Thief was written in a lyrical way that causes the reader to take their time when reading. I feel like this causes a whole new type of reading experience for the reader as they aren’t reading super fast trying to find out what happens next. It helps to really understand and feel the experience that Liesel goes through.

Review Excerpts:

Winner of the National Jewish Book Award

Kirkus Review Editor’s Choice

“An extraordinary narrative.” - School Library Journal 

“Beautiful and important.” - Kirkus Review

“Exquisitely written…A tour de force to be not just read but inhabited.” - The Horn Book

Connections:

Read other works by Markus Zusak: I am the Messenger and Bridge of Clay

Compare and contrast the book to the movie