PLEASE NOTE: I READ THIS LONG BEFORE THE MOVIE WAS EVER ANNOUNCED!
Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.
This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was recommended to me as a fine historical novel. I honestly had no idea what to expect except that it was WWII Germany.
From the beginning, I was enraptured like I have not been in a very long time. Imagine having Death narrate the book and actually feel sorry for him! And the writing style was very reminiscent of classic literature. The author writes fantastic prose in a way few authors can in this post-modern era.
The characters were drawn in such a rich way. Death’s grim humor and genuine concern for humanity caused the book to touch my emotions in a way most books cannot.
I guess I shall never tire of WWII stories. It is a period of history that repulses and intrigues me. Although this is fiction, I truly found myself caring about the characters. Death’s continued foreshadowing of events to come were always executed at exactly the right time. I think this book can touch anyone who decides to read it.
it does have some foul language, but I found that every use of it made sense. There were no sex scenes nor descriptive violence, but the book is harsh and real. Violence is there and unfortunately quite necessary.
Photo Credit: Michael Lionstar
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY (from his website)
Markus Zusak is the author of five books, including the international bestseller, The Book Thief, which spent more than a decade on the New York Timesbestseller list, and is translated into more than forty languages – establishing Zusak as one of the most successful authors to come out of Australia.
To date, Zusak has held the number one position at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, the New York Timesbestseller list, as well as in countries across South America, Europe and Asia.
His books, The Underdog, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, When Dogs Cry (also titled Getting the Girl), The Messenger (or I am the Messenger) and The Book Thief have been awarded numerous honours ranging from literary prizes to readers choice awards to prizes voted on by booksellers.
In 2013, The Book Thief was adapted to film, directed by Emmy Award-winning Brian Percival (Downton Abbey) and shot in Berlin by Twentieth Century Fox. The cast was headlined by Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush and Academy Award nominee Emily Watson, and Sophie Nelisse (as Liesel Meminger).
In 2014, Zusak received the American Library Association’s Margaret Edwards Award, for his body of work ranging from The Underdog up to The Book Thief.
Zusak’s much-anticipated new novel, Bridge of Clay, is set for release in October 2018 in the USA, the UK and Australia, with foreign translations to follow.
In a statement about the novel, Zusak said: “Clay Dunbar builds a bridge for a multitude of reasons: for his brothers and to honour his parents…but it’s also an attempt at greatness. He builds a bridge to save himself, and to make a single, beautiful moment: a miracle and nothing less.”
Markus Zusak grew up in Sydney, Australia, and still lives there with his wife and two children.
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2 Comments
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the best book that I ever read <3
