SuzanneRating:
Review
The pages flew by in this story about regular peoples’ lives during “the Fuhrer’s” reign in Nazi Germany. Liesel Meminger, a nine year-old girl, is the main character, forced to leave her mother and live with a foster family. Liesel’s new life among strangers is hard and her new mother is harsh, but her foster father Hans Hubermann is kind and she makes a good friend in Rudy, a boy down the street. She is illiterate when she arrives, but Hans gradually teaches her to read from The Grave Digger’s Handbook of all things, a book she picked up out of the snow at her brother’s funeral. Liesel “picks up” other books as opportunities present themselves. The story really gets going when the Hubermanns agree to hide the son of an old Jewish friend in their basement. At one point this man, Max Vandenburg, has been in their dank basement without seeing the light of day for 22 months. I had to marvel at how strong a person’s will to live must be in order to live in wretched conditions like that. The story is told by Death, an oddity that was distracting at first but turned out to be a clever device. Death is revealed not to revel in his role at all, but is left in wonder at all the people he comes in contact with, some of whom actively or furtively court him in such desperate times. A contemplative read that kept me drawn in.
Best Line:
“It kills me sometimes, how people die. (pg. 464)
KimRating:
Review
The book thief is a crafty 9 year-old girl named Liesel Meminger, living a hard life in Hitler’s Germany. Her mother abandons her, leaving Liesel in the care of foster parents Hans and Rosa Hubermann, and despite having some rough edges (mostly Rosa) the Hubermann’s are loving people, and are good to Liesel. Times are tough though, and money is scarce for the new family of three, but Liesel’s world opens up when Hans teaches her to read, starting with her first purloined book that she picked up at a cemetery. Liesel is not a greedy thief, and comes by books throughout this story that have meaning to her in some way, mostly before she’s even read a word between the covers. Thievery is only part of her persona, as she is a smart and witty girl, besides being pretty good at soccer. There are a few supporting players in this story that I found to be fascinating, including Liesel’s friend Rudy, and Max, the Jewish son of a friend who desperately needs a hiding place. The story is narrated by Death, which I thought made the story compelling and fabulous. I loved this book. Read it.
Best Line:
“The kitchen was where the action was.”
