Markus Zusak's The Book Thief (2006)Wow. Zusak's book is incredibly modern, experimental, and moving. The words seem to flow through every emotion and represent a whole spectrum of colors.
Narrated by death, who is a very active character throughout the entirety of the story, the reader learns of Liesel, a book thief. Set in the 1930's/1940's, this book chronicles the lives of those close to Liesel, and those who are instrumental in her life.
Liesel's passion is for words, and for books, and she is able to use words to catapult herself above her pain and misery, to find a nesting place for her sanity, so that the awful, horrific events she experiences cannot afflict her more than just in her nightmares. Death, an amazing character and witness to Liesel's actions, tells her story with wit and a brutal foreboding, since "he" has been incremental to her adventures.
While the size of this novel may be daunting, the stories (because there are many interwoven throughout) are priceless, and leave the reader speechless. Also, the drawings of Max are amazing, considering the symbolism of how and when he draws them. Look carefully!
I think I'm going to have to give this book at least **** and 1/2 stars. It was thought-provoking, challenging of the typical genre of YA, and wrapped up nicely, but not happily-ever-after nicely.
I also learned German from this book. Probably not the German used in proper, civilized conversations, but German nonetheless. ;)
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