This book puts a spin on normal books. Instead of the narrator being a character or being told in third person The Book Thief has a different narrator. The narrator is Death. Liesel’s life is changed when she picks up a book from beside her brothers grave, her first act of stealing. She later goes to live with her foster family who hides a Jew in their basement. She learns to read, by stealing books and reading. As World War Two continues so does Liesel. I would recommend this book to everyone. Although it is fiction, you will learn a lot about WWII.

posted Jun 9, 2013 at 1:23PM

This appears to be one of those books you like or really hate. The style is a little unusual in that the story is told by Death. Appropriate however, perhaps as the book takes place in Nazi Germany, ironically on a street called "Himmel" (heaven). Some people are annoyed by the narrator and the sometimes weird descriptions. Partly, maybe because I was listening and the reader was really good, the style did not bother me. I have to say I found this book good but not overly compelling. I’m surprised by the young people who read it and called it "life changing" but perhaps they are just discovering literature about the Holocaust. Want something about the Holocaust that’s life changing? Try Night by Elie Wiesel.

posted Apr 10, 2013 at 9:39AM

How do the characters of Death, a book thief and her foster parents, a boxing Jew and young German boy who wants to be Jessie Owens make a wonderful reading experience—I am not really sure but they do. When I began to read this book I wasn’t sure I would enjoy Death as the narrator in the setting of World War II, but somehow it works. Death tells the story of Liesel Meminger, a 13-year old girl and “book thief” who has lost her family in the early stages of World War II. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement. I loved the characters, I adored the way the book was written and the plot was brilliantly conceived—5 out of 5 stars.

posted Mar 20, 2012 at 9:29PM

This book was O.k. It was not the best book I have ever read but I did like the two different points of view. It was just a bit to slow for my taste. I recommend it to anyone who like historical fiction.

posted Jan 17, 2012 at 3:58PM

different piont of view! great!

posted Nov 17, 2011 at 8:26PM

this is an awesome book. very interesting.

posted Oct 3, 2011 at 4:11AM

I love this book! But its is sooo different from his other books. Its my favorite book!

posted Oct 1, 2011 at 8:04PM

This is one of my favorites!!! I absolutely love it!!!! I think its really cool that its told from Deaths perspective, it has an interesting twist.

posted Sep 28, 2011 at 6:40PM

my favorite historical fiction novel

posted Jul 6, 2011 at 8:36PM

Brilliant writing shines through when a great voice reads it aloud. Yes, the Nazi era is awful. Yes, the story is told by Death. There is a relish for life and the ordinary Germans who battle through the horrible times which lifts this book up. And this narrator does some fine voices for the Germans.

posted Sep 20, 2010 at 1:25PM

Given in death's perspective. How about that for a change?

posted Jun 20, 2010 at 8:57PM

I really liked this book but I didn't think it was the best book I ever read. I liked it because the story was told in 2nd person format. I didn't think it was the best because I didn't really like the plot of the book. I would recommond this book to anyone who wants to read a book during World War 2.

posted Jun 13, 2010 at 10:41AM

We had to read it for English class. Our whole class (even the guys!) agree- best book ever read in school. A MUST READ !!!!!!!

posted Jun 2, 2010 at 9:06PM

I sobbed...hard.

posted Mar 22, 2010 at 9:11PM

It's told from the point of view of Death. Now I dare you not to read it.

posted Jan 22, 2010 at 10:07PM

I got this book for Christmas, and I had never read it before. But it was the single best book I’ve ever read. It kept my attention and the characters are so loveable. Set in Germany during the Holocaust, you have a very powerful novel. Zusak’s other novel is very good too. It’s called ’I Am the Messenger.’ Try both, as they’re very different from each other.

posted Jul 2, 2009 at 10:39AM

The Book Thief is only a young adult book here in the States; in its home country of Australia, it was published as a general fiction title for adult readers. Why the publishers here opted for the young adult label is anyone’s guess, but lucky for us, it is readers who make a book great and not its publishers. In The Book Thief, Death narrates the story of grubby little Liesel, a mere child struggling to understand life in Nazi Germany. Despite being illiterate, Liesel copes by becoming a full-fledged book thief, stealing her first book from her brother’s graveside and moving on to raid Nazi book-burnings and rob the mayor’s library. Liesel’s accordion-playing foster father teaches her to read and Liesel is enchanted with the world of words, but life is dangerous, and more so when the family hides a Jew in the basement. World War II is always a complicated subject; when you make Death one of your main characters and let him tell your story, it’s really complicated. But that complexity makes it ideal for every age, especially when combined with Zusak’s sensitivity, intelligence, intensity, and humor (yes, humor, a very dark humor, much of which comes from Death's periodic bold-font bulletins). Whether you’re a teen in Australia or an adult in America, bibliophiles everywhere will beg, borrow, or steal to read The Book Thief.

posted May 18, 2009 at 1:29PM

The main characters in this book are Leisel Meminger,(an adopted girl)Max,(a hidden Jew)Rudy,(Leisels best friend) Rosa Hubberman,(Leisels foster mother)and Hans Hubberman,(Leisels foster dad. This book takes place in 1939 Nazi Germany. The plot in this book is how Leisel, Rosa, and Hans hide Max and how they deal with the hardness of World War 2. Will Leisel, Rosa, and Hans get caught hiding Max and risk getting killed? Read The Book Thief to find out. Now i will tell you a quote from the story. “*A Guided Tour of Suffering* To your left, perhaps your right, perhaps even straight ahead, you will find a small black room. In it sits a Jew. He is scum. He is starving. He is afraid. Please-try not to look away” I think that this book was a very good book. The reason i think this is because it seemed like a true story and it was very interesting. I think that people 12 and up should read it because it’s a lot to handle. There are no books that i have read that are like this before.

posted Feb 24, 2009 at 8:28AM

i loved this book. it was the best one i have read yet. it made me cry!

posted Dec 6, 2008 at 1:47PM

I love this book. It’s a really interesting book from a different perspective.

posted Aug 6, 2008 at 10:39PM

An amazing, life-changing book.

posted Jul 5, 2008 at 11:35PM

This was an awesome book - for adults too. It had a lot of beautiful moments.

posted Mar 14, 2008 at 10:42AM

Told from the perspective of Death, the language in this book is so delicious, be sure to savor every word. Interesting to read a novel about WWII Germany told from the perspective of poor, non-Jewish Germans just trying to survive the war while still remaining in touch with their humanity. Don't rush through it, much as you may want to!

posted Mar 9, 2008 at 8:23PM

This book made me laugh and made me cry. It is a moving story which is even more powerful because it is about something that really happened - Nazi Germany. This book was incredibly well written and is narrated by the character of Death, which makes it an interesting story right from the start. I loved this book and highly recommend it!

posted Jul 15, 2007 at 7:32PM

This book made me laugh and made me cry. It is a moving story which is even more powerful because it is about something that really happened - Nazi Germany. This book was incredibly well written and is narrated by the character of Death, which makes it an interesting story right from the start. I loved this book and highly recommend it!

posted Jul 15, 2007 at 7:32PM

This book surprised me! It is defiantly worth the read.

posted Apr 16, 2007 at 4:49PM

 Add a Comment