Author: Mark Zusak
My rating: 9.5/10
I decided to read The Book Thief cause I saw that a movie came out recently about it, and I wanted to read the book before watching the movie (that’s what I always do, like for The Lord of the Rings, Enders Game, etc).
The story is narrated by a personified Death (Fun Fact: I’m writing this at 10 PM), and follows Liesel Meminger, a 10 year old girl given to foster parents with her brother, who dies on the train ride over (amazing start to a story, isn’t it). The train stops and a grave digger buries Werner Meminger. This is where Liesel steals her first book, The Grave Diggers Handbook. Liesel meets her foster parents, Rosa and Hans Hubberman. She is criticized a lot by Rosa, but she really loves Liesel. Liesel is also insulted at her school for not knowing how to read. One boy goes too far and Liesel beats him up.
Meeting the neighborhood children, most notably Rudy Steiner, she starts to play soccer regularly with them. Rudy is always trying to get Liesel to kiss him, unsuccessfully. Rudy’s family is poor, so he is always hungry. Did I mention this takes place in Nazi Germany? No, I didn’t. Liesel and Rudy go on some crazy adventures, including being beaten up by some schoolchildren, joining a group that steals, and various other unmentionable things that you can read if you read the book.
Max Vandenburg, a Jew in hiding, stays at the Hubberman’s house because his father was best friends with Hans. Hans teaches Liesel to read and write, and plays his accordion regularly. Liesel steals more books from various places, one being a bonfire on Hitler’s birthday.
Rosa Hubberman does the washing for some of the richer people, but one by one, they all fire her because of the hard times. Ilsa Hermann, the mayor’s wife, invites Liesel to read in her massive library whenever she likes. After a fake and real bombing in Munich, where they live, everyone is scared. One day Hans is helping a Jew in a line to concentration camp, and he is whipped. He knows that the Nazis will probably come search his house, and find Max. He sends Max away, for his own good. They do search the house, but only the basement as a possible bomb shelter. Hans is drafted into the army with Alex Steiner, Rudy’s dad, but breaks his leg and is sent home.
Liesel sees Max one last time, as he is being taken away, but she is pulled away by the Nazi’s. She tries again, but is shoved away. Max gets whipped, and probably dies later in the concentration camp.
Another bombing occurs, but no one is ready. Everyone dies, as Death collects their souls, except Liesel, who was in the basement writing her book. Liesel goes into shock seeing the bodies, and is carried away. When Alex Steiner comes home from the army, he is devastated and Liesel lives with him for a long time.
Liesel grows up, and lives a long life, and is waiting for Death, gladly welcoming him.
I’m going to end it right there, I could’ve edited it and added a lot, but it’s really late and you should read the whole book yourself just because. Our Snowboarding 2014 video is going to be up really soon, so stay tuned. Thanks for reading!