The Book Thief (2023)
Author : Markus Zusak
Released : 2006
Synopsis : Liesel Meminger, a little girl with a conflicted, poverty-stricken childhood, is sent off to live with a foster family in Molching, Germany and the story traces her journey of navigating love, loss, grief and acceptance against the backdrop of the 1930s Holocaust.
Rating : ★★★★★
The Book Thief is an utterly moving tale of Liesel Meminger, a nine-year-old girl trying to navigate loss, grief and finding her place in a reality whipped by the brutality of the Holocaust.
Ever since hearing about The Book Thief in 2019, I had been wanting to get my hands on it. And now, four years later, here I am, finally having finished the book and I’m glad I did.
"Vivid and gripping"
Zusak’s writing echoes a voice that comes off as truly original and distinct.
His imaginative style of writing paints strangely vivid, heart wrenching visuals that remain etched in your heart. Zusak’s choice of words and habit of blending multiple senses are perhaps part of what makes the narration of this tale so stirring.
Liesel’s relationship with Max is indisputably one of the best parts of the story. Despite fighting different demons, one can’t help but notice how little difference there is between Liesel and Max. Both have nightmares of the memory that haunted them - for one, it was loss, and for the other, guilt.
Both hated and fought against the same man who had overturned their lives forever in different ways. The Fuhrer may have been a man, but in The Book Thief, he is everything but one.
The endearing dynamic between Rudy and Liesel and its tragic end stirred me deeply. Rudy is one of those characters one can never forget, even after a lifetime of stories and characters. The boy with hair the colour of lemons, the spirit of Jesse Owens and a heart of pure gold. His loving and fiercely protective companionship with Liesel and his relentless bargaining for a kiss makes you develop sweet compassion for this wonderfully written character.
I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.
Liesel and words share a peculiar, yet relatable relationship. Beginning from the Gravedigger’s Handbook to writing her own, Liesel did exactly that - she hated them for creating the Fuhrer, and still loved them for providing solace to broken souls in the basement, and amid the crowd watching the Jewish parade.
I am not one to be easily moved to tears, but I found myself sobbing through the reunion of Liesel and Max in the Jewish parade, when Liesel reads out snatches of the Word Shaker amongst the crowd, like a unique cry enough to make just one head turn in the sea of shuffling feet. The section of the final fate of Himmel Street, too, had me reaching for the tissues.
The generous helpings of Saumensch, Saukerl and Arschloch only add a beautiful, comforting sense of familiarity as you slip into the bustling kitchen of 33 Himmel Street, and savour the smell of watery pea soup and freshly pressed laundry, while watching the children of Molching play football in the marsh.
Hans Hubermann is yet another character that stuck with me long after I finished the book. I especially loved how Zusak blended the soul of Hans with the accordion. But, what I could not help but notice was the pleasant similarity of Hans and Liesel’s relationship to that of Atticus and Scout Finch’s in To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus Finch being one of my favourite characters ever. Perhaps these thoughts arise from a place of familiarity myself, with the relationship my father and I share.
I am haunted by humans.
In Zusak’s credit, choosing to anthropomorphise a force such as Death as the narrator is certainly one of the reasons why this story, as a reader as well as a writer, feels so well put together - there could not have been a better choice. The strength of Zusak’s writing shows in how Death is portrayed with all its human flaws, fatigue and sympathy, instead of one who is plainly cold, apathetic and majorly one-dimensional.
Fledgling’s Verdict
This book gives you many poignant and memorable moments, simple yet powerful lines to highlight and several pages to dog-ear. It is a genuine masterclass on how to write fiction that is impactful and succinct, while steering away from redundant imagery.
Overall, the journey of a young, traumatised little Liesel slowly blossoming into a determined, witty, feisty young woman is simply one to savour.
The Book Thief is not just a story, but an ode to every soul struggling with loss, building a new life and having that shattered once more. It is beautiful, and angry, and moving, all at the same time.
The Book Thief produces a voice that truly stands apart from the crowd - one that is passionately political and poetic. It makes you wonder, question, cry, fawn over, feel anger - it makes you feel like a helpless spectator as you watch fate unravel for these masterfully crafted characters.
Get your copy of The Book Thief here!
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