The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

 

The Book Thief is a remarkable book. It is a powerful and unforgettable story. It is the story of young girl’s experience in the German town of Mochtling during the Second World War. Liesel Meminger arrives with her mother one day at the home of Rosa and Hans Hubermann. Her mother abruptly departs, leaving the child in the Hubermann’s care. Nothing more is said of her mother and it is not until years later that Liesel understands her mother’s actions. She quickly integrates into the life of Mochling and through her eyes we see the suffering and deprivation of the German people during the war. Liesel cannot read when she arrives at the Hubermann’s but on the way to Mochling she finds a book. Later, during one night when Liesel has one of her nightmares, her foster father begins to teach her how to read and so begins a long road in which Liesel gradually becomes a competent reader. Not only does Liesel gain enjoyment from reading but her reading aloud brings joy to Max, a Jew whom the family hides in their basement. The same joy is experienced by her later, on reading his story written for her. Events overtake the family, bringing them into conflict with the overriding ideology of the time.

The Book Thief brings to mind another unforgettable novel, To kill a mockingbird in which, through the innocent eyes of a young girl, we witness not only the bitterness of a rural town in 1930’s America but also an unforgettable insight into the life of a small town in America. So it is with The Book Thief, a unique and unforgettable insight into life in a small German town during the height of the war, through the eyes of childhood innocence.

 

Reading level: Year 10-Adult

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