Souls bound together
A gift from an aunt of mine.
With a heavy heart and general weariness, Death introduces us to ten-year-old Liesel Meminger. With her mother having been taken away and her younger brother dying, Liesel's life is marked with tragedy at a young age. She is quickly shipped to a foster home to live with the Hubermanns, a middle-aged couple with two grown children of their own. At first shy and melancholy, the friendly and humorous Hans Hubermann coaxes her out of her shell, and she makes friends with her next-door neighbor, the rascally Rudy. The realities of Nazi Germany don't really hit home until the Hubermanns decide to take in a young Jewish man, hiding him from German officers and their Hitler-worshipping community. But Liesel discovers a talent that helps her cope with these dark times: book-robbing. As she accumulates books, her love of reading grows - even to the point where her steady reading skills bring comfort to the fearful. Even as she encounters more tragedy, she learns to value the different kinds of love, the different kinds of strength, and the power of words.
Gentle, brittle, weary, and contemplative, The Book Thief is a unique tale about survival, books, the forging of emotional connections, and painful loss. The writing is delectable, sentences strung together with unexpected words that nail a particular emotion to the wall. It evokes wonderful, sad, strong images of a world being slowly turned upside down, reflecting the increasingly erratic state of Liesel's mundane community. It also describes, with efficiency and eloquence, the depths of the emotional ties between characters and the complexities of their thoughts. Liesel's journey is especially moving as she learns to reach out to others and works through her demons.
Zusak's choice of making Death the narrator of a book weighted down with sorrow was a risky one. But it also seems inevitable. Never indifferent to humanity's struggles, we feel for Death because he cannot help but feel for us. His narration is sadly-matter-of-fact, and contributes to the brutal story simply by its own acceptance of the facts. His small connection to Liesel adds a complication to his general view on humanity that makes himself very human to the reader. Although not extraordinary, Liesel's perseverance and fits of bravery make her a great heroine. By seeking her out the way he does, Death illustrates that hope is a powerful attraction. Humanity may burden us with Hitler, but it also gifts us with Liesel.
I can do nothing but give this book the highest recommendation. Rating: 5 accordions out of 5.
Gentle, brittle, weary, and contemplative, The Book Thief is a unique tale about survival, books, the forging of emotional connections, and painful loss. The writing is delectable, sentences strung together with unexpected words that nail a particular emotion to the wall. It evokes wonderful, sad, strong images of a world being slowly turned upside down, reflecting the increasingly erratic state of Liesel's mundane community. It also describes, with efficiency and eloquence, the depths of the emotional ties between characters and the complexities of their thoughts. Liesel's journey is especially moving as she learns to reach out to others and works through her demons.
Zusak's choice of making Death the narrator of a book weighted down with sorrow was a risky one. But it also seems inevitable. Never indifferent to humanity's struggles, we feel for Death because he cannot help but feel for us. His narration is sadly-matter-of-fact, and contributes to the brutal story simply by its own acceptance of the facts. His small connection to Liesel adds a complication to his general view on humanity that makes himself very human to the reader. Although not extraordinary, Liesel's perseverance and fits of bravery make her a great heroine. By seeking her out the way he does, Death illustrates that hope is a powerful attraction. Humanity may burden us with Hitler, but it also gifts us with Liesel.
I can do nothing but give this book the highest recommendation. Rating: 5 accordions out of 5.
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