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Feb 06, 2021ChinesaR_KCMO rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Set in Germany during the second World War, The Book Thief tells the story of Liesel, who is effectively living as an orphan in a new home. She never knew her father, her mother disappears after delivering her to her new foster parents in Molching, just outside of Munich. While the story is all about Liesel, it is told from the perspective of a different character- Death. The story begins when Death first encounters nine-year-old Liesel after she steals her first book from a gravedigger. The book offers an interesting insight to what most Germans lives were really like during World War 2. Although Liesel and her foster parents, Mr. and Mrs. Herbermann, are German citizens, they do not buy into the propaganda that Jews are evil and should be exterminated. This is further illustrated when Max, the son of an old friend of Mr. Herbermann, comes to them for help. They do not hesitate to shelter him despite the risks they too would face. This leads to a friendship between Max and Liesel, who bond over their shared love of storytelling. Liesel is very real, a child living a child's life of soccer in the street, stolen pleasures, and childhood crushes. Even though she is living amid one of the worsts genocides in human history, she still finds a way to continue being a child and not be consumed by the evil that surrounds her on all sides. This book will make you cry – there is no way around that. But there are things that prevent this book from being all-out depressing. It is never morbid. Despite the darkness, humor dances across the pages, and the rich descriptions as well as the purity of the characters' hearts will not fail to lift you up. Also, it is refreshing to read a balanced story, where ordinary Germans are as much at risk of losing their lives as their Jewish neighbors. Be prepared, this book is long. But every word of the story matters, and every moment it will stick with you for a long time. Whether you choose to read the words or listen to the audio. The Book Thief is a modern classic that should definitely be on your to-read list.