Book Recommendation: The Book Thief

Markus Zusak

Pages: 576
Ages: 12+


Liesel Meminger lives in Nazi Germany, but she doesn't know that yet. Her mother is gone, her brother is gone. Her new mama is a laundress, and her new papa is a house-painter. Liesel Meminger is a Book Thief. 

She shares her thieving with Rudy. She shares her books with the people in the air-raid shelters and the man who lives in her basement. 

Death has only met her a few times. Once, on that day, on the train, with her brother. Once when they found the pilot after the air-raid, and again on the day that her world ended.

This is really an impossible book review to write. Hands down my favorite read in a very, very long time. 

I know, I know - I am probably one of the last people to read this book. My excuse? I was caught up in grad school when it first came out, and was not reading for fun. Let me tell you that I am so glad I finally sat down and read it. 

If you haven't read it yet, and have been on the fence, stop right now and read it. Yes the book is narrated by Death, but the perspective added depth and breadth and a detached-ness that made the novel all the more poignant. Yes it is set in Nazi Germany, but this book is nothing like any of those other books set it Nazi Germany.

I would recommend this book to absolutely everyone, and I very rarely say that about any book.

See my other Book Recommendations.