The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is an exceptional book. It is sentimental, thoughtful and sometimes it makes you smile. It makes be grateful of your stars that you were not born in the Nazi period, in the world, specially in Germany, especially a Jew.Yes, it takes place in the Nazi times, in Germany. And the most unusual part of this book is its narration, which is by Death. Yes, Death, like the Grim Reaper or something, but a very humane one, one who kind of likes humans and their quirks and eccentricities, and is keen on understanding them.
The book Thief is the story of a little girl's life Liesel Meminger who is separated from her mother following the death of her brother and is sent to live with Hans and Rosa Hubermann on 33 Himmel Street in Molching. Liesel is illiterate and cannot read or write while words and books constantly amaze her. She had stolen her first book The Grave Digger's Manual from a grave-digger boy while her brother's burial and he keeps it with her the whole time. Since she cannot read it she keeps it with her all the time, beneath her pillow while she sleeps. Then she starts to create her relationship with Papa and Mama. Papa Hubermann is soft natured man, who loves everyone and loves to play his accordion. The accordion becomes a symbol for calmness and security in Liesel's life. She loves Papa and he loves her. He sits beside her every night when she has nightmares and wets the bed. He then starts her teaching her to read and write in the basement at nights when Liesel is made fun of in school for not knowing much. They have a special bond which makes you just smile all the time. On the other hand is Mama Hubermann, though she seems to be the type who will torture the poor little girl when she is first introduced in the book. You start to imagine her as Cinderella's evil step mother, the German version, it is then that you realize that she is a woman with a huge heart. She loves Liesel just the same but she is unlike Hans and doesn't believe in a show of her emotions. Then you have The Rudy Steiner, Liesel's love interest. The perfect boy. He is funny, he is cute and he just loves to flirt with Liesel. One would expect a little boy to not like girls, but not our Rudy, he just Liesel to kiss him, that is all. He is a brilliant boy, good in athletics, in fact he loves Jesse Owens and had once painted himself black and ran naked in the park. He is awesome, in simple words.
World is a happy place for Liesel, she goes collecting clothes for laundry with Mama and meets the Mayor's wife, Ilsa Hermann, on one of her rounds. One day during a huge bonfire built by the Nazi's, Ilsa sees Liesel steal a book that had fallen from the fire. She then decides to call Liesel into her huge library and share her love for books with her. Here, in this library Liesel finds her heaven and her real passion. Meanwhile, Max Vandenberg's story takes place, he is a Jew who is hiding from the government and he is helped by Hans since he is the son of the man who had saved Hans' life in the first world war and had taught him to play the accordion. Hans sends Max the key to their home in a copy of Hitler's Mein Kampf, and in an ironical twist of fate the book that had ruined Max's life holds the key to his future and safety. Max arrives on Himmel Street and is kept in The Hubermann's basement secretly. He is a fascinating to Liesel in every way, he has black feather-like hair and he has nightmares just like her. She befriends him and starts to read with him along with Papa. Max loves Liesel and Liesel tells him the weather of the day, everyday. Max writes a book, The Standover Man, for Liesel by painting on the pages on Mein Kampf and gives it to her.In this book he depicts his life and Liesel's care for him when he was sick and she had brought for him a gift each day he had not opened his eyes.
Meanwhile the author depicts the conditions people are living under, Papa has no ob just painting the window panes black for the air raids, Mama loses her contracts and Rudy's father's customers are dwindling. Rudy and Liesel join a gang of guys and steal apples and potatoes from the farmers. After sometime Max leaves the Hubermann household and leaves another book which he had written for Liesel, The Word Shaker. In this book he compares Liesel and Hitler, how both use words to affect people, while one is caring and loving, the other uses the same words for wrath and destruction.The Nazi begin marching the Jews down the Himmel Street after sometime while taking them to the concentration camps. Liesel looks each time for Max and fails to find him, once she spots him in the crowd and runs to meet him. It is then that Rudy comes to know about Max.
Rudy is then selected for Hitler's Youth for which his parents refuse and his father is consequently punished by being sent to war and so is Hans.
Liesel continues going to Ilsa's llibrary and reading books. Ilsa tells her about her dead son thus explaining her solitude and depression. One day she goes and tears up a book in her library taking out her frustration against words that had caused such upheaval in her life. She then writes an apology note and leaves the library promising to never return again. Ilsa then turns up at Liesel's house and gives her an empty notebook and advises her to pen down her own book.
And it is during writing her book one night in the basement that Himmel Street is air;raided and all of Lisa's loved ones are killed. It is then that Death takes this book and is how he knows Liesel's life story.
Liesel is then adopted by Ilsa and her husband, Rudy's father returns from war and finds Liesel. Max also returns from the concentration camp alive and they are reunited in a tearful and happy, uh, both, you get that feeling right. When you meet an old friend you had thought you'll never meet and then they suddenly text you or something, that feeling exactly. Liesel then dies at old age in Australia and finally meets Death.
The book is lovely, you read it and you go "awww" whenever Rudy asks Liesel to kiss him, you become tearful at Max's nightmares. You love Papa and Mama and you feel sad for Ilsa.
Over all, I highly recommend this book to people who love reading books based on world war times. A great read.
Meanwhile the author depicts the conditions people are living under, Papa has no ob just painting the window panes black for the air raids, Mama loses her contracts and Rudy's father's customers are dwindling. Rudy and Liesel join a gang of guys and steal apples and potatoes from the farmers. After sometime Max leaves the Hubermann household and leaves another book which he had written for Liesel, The Word Shaker. In this book he compares Liesel and Hitler, how both use words to affect people, while one is caring and loving, the other uses the same words for wrath and destruction.The Nazi begin marching the Jews down the Himmel Street after sometime while taking them to the concentration camps. Liesel looks each time for Max and fails to find him, once she spots him in the crowd and runs to meet him. It is then that Rudy comes to know about Max.
Rudy is then selected for Hitler's Youth for which his parents refuse and his father is consequently punished by being sent to war and so is Hans.
Liesel continues going to Ilsa's llibrary and reading books. Ilsa tells her about her dead son thus explaining her solitude and depression. One day she goes and tears up a book in her library taking out her frustration against words that had caused such upheaval in her life. She then writes an apology note and leaves the library promising to never return again. Ilsa then turns up at Liesel's house and gives her an empty notebook and advises her to pen down her own book.
And it is during writing her book one night in the basement that Himmel Street is air;raided and all of Lisa's loved ones are killed. It is then that Death takes this book and is how he knows Liesel's life story.
Liesel is then adopted by Ilsa and her husband, Rudy's father returns from war and finds Liesel. Max also returns from the concentration camp alive and they are reunited in a tearful and happy, uh, both, you get that feeling right. When you meet an old friend you had thought you'll never meet and then they suddenly text you or something, that feeling exactly. Liesel then dies at old age in Australia and finally meets Death.
The book is lovely, you read it and you go "awww" whenever Rudy asks Liesel to kiss him, you become tearful at Max's nightmares. You love Papa and Mama and you feel sad for Ilsa.
Over all, I highly recommend this book to people who love reading books based on world war times. A great read.
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