Book review
Liesel Meminger taught us that maybe we take our libraries for granted these days.
The Book Thief…. *sighs*
Wow…
What did I just read?
I cannot begin to gather the words to express how much emotions are provoked throughout the journey of this novel. It is a winding road that lengthens in front of me, that cultivates and lures me further and further into the novel. I’m still in awe, and the fact is that I always will be. Almost everything about this novel has me wrapped up in the pages, reading the words thoughtfully as I walk through the events of the book thief’s life.
Where to begin…
This novel is set during WWII, a period in which Death is a prominent figure who seems to follow Liesel Meminger throughout her life at 33 Himmel Street. It all starts when Liesel moves into her foster home with Rosa Hubbermann, a stern woman known for her cardboard face, and Hans Hubbermann, a gentle man with warm silver eyes. Liesel soon finds herself comforted by words once she is taught to read and write. Through these words, Liesel finds herself becoming a thief, collecting books in her arms and carrying them from place to place. However, one night on 33 Himmel Street, a stranger knocks upon their door…
I could talk on and on and on about this novel for hours, I seriously could, but I will make this sweet and simple. I am not one for historical fiction, I never have been. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I picked this novel up in class and read the blurb. Soon after, reading the blurb transitioned into reading a page and then ten and then twenty! I found that what allured me the most was the language, the choice of words used to describe a scene as simple as looking at a boy with lemon coloured hair. The writing intrigued me as I had never read something that seemed to perfectly describe each scene.
Markus Zusak, Author
Through reading this, I fell in love with so many different relatable characters for their differences and abilities... to simply be human. What I have noticed about some novels is that the characters lack flaws or have too many, there isn’t always a generous balance of both, but Markus Zusak had flawlessly created loveable human characters. Personally, my favourite would have to be Hans Hubbermann, this is because he was such a maternal figure in Liesel’s life. Never had I encountered a male character with such loving and gentle qualities as Hans which made me absolutely adore this character.
Most people would argue that reading a novel for school is a chore but I can confidently assure you that reading this novel was no chore at all for me. I would highly recommend this novel to students in Year 9 and above. However, be advised that this novel provokes emotion and has a few gory scenes.
-K Randall, Year 10