#38 - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Recommended by: Practically everyone
Borrowed from: the Sacramento library
My Rating: 9 out of 10
Synopsis (from Amazon): Death himself narrates the World War II-era story of Liesel Meminger from the time she is taken, at age nine, to live in Molching, Germany, with a foster family in a working-class neighborhood of tough kids, acid-tongued mothers, and loving fathers who earn their living by the work of their hands. The child arrives having just stolen her first book–although she has not yet learned how to read–and her foster father uses it, The Gravediggers Handbook, to lull her to sleep when shes roused by regular nightmares about her younger brothers death. Across the ensuing years of the late 1930s and into the 1940s, Liesel collects more stolen books as well as a peculiar set of friends: the boy Rudy, the Jewish refugee Max, the mayors reclusive wife (who has a whole library from which she allows Liesel to steal), and especially her foster parents.
My Review: It's not often that I'm able to say that a book is like nothing I've ever read -- but I can definitely say this about the Book Thief. Zusak's prose, especially the syntax, was really original and I found myself stopping and rolling the words around in my head. For example: "Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like the rain." So pretty! The only gripe I had with the book is that every once in a great while, the language felt forced. But overall it was stunning.
The book was narrated by Death, who was a very sympathetic character. The rest of the book's characters were really interesting as well. I generally avoid books that take place during WWII because (I think I said this in my review of the Welsh Girl earlier this year) that Nazs totally freak me out. I just cannot comprehend such out and out genocide. And yes, I realize it happens today in places like Darfur -- I avoid those books as well. But I'm really glad I picked this one up. It was poignant, funny, and incredibly sad. I cried. Definitely recommended to anyone who likes their books a little on the bizarre side. (Finished 6/5/09)
Borrowed from: the Sacramento library
My Rating: 9 out of 10
Synopsis (from Amazon): Death himself narrates the World War II-era story of Liesel Meminger from the time she is taken, at age nine, to live in Molching, Germany, with a foster family in a working-class neighborhood of tough kids, acid-tongued mothers, and loving fathers who earn their living by the work of their hands. The child arrives having just stolen her first book–although she has not yet learned how to read–and her foster father uses it, The Gravediggers Handbook, to lull her to sleep when shes roused by regular nightmares about her younger brothers death. Across the ensuing years of the late 1930s and into the 1940s, Liesel collects more stolen books as well as a peculiar set of friends: the boy Rudy, the Jewish refugee Max, the mayors reclusive wife (who has a whole library from which she allows Liesel to steal), and especially her foster parents.
My Review: It's not often that I'm able to say that a book is like nothing I've ever read -- but I can definitely say this about the Book Thief. Zusak's prose, especially the syntax, was really original and I found myself stopping and rolling the words around in my head. For example: "Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like the rain." So pretty! The only gripe I had with the book is that every once in a great while, the language felt forced. But overall it was stunning.
The book was narrated by Death, who was a very sympathetic character. The rest of the book's characters were really interesting as well. I generally avoid books that take place during WWII because (I think I said this in my review of the Welsh Girl earlier this year) that Nazs totally freak me out. I just cannot comprehend such out and out genocide. And yes, I realize it happens today in places like Darfur -- I avoid those books as well. But I'm really glad I picked this one up. It was poignant, funny, and incredibly sad. I cried. Definitely recommended to anyone who likes their books a little on the bizarre side. (Finished 6/5/09)
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