The Book Thief is a favorite here in the Orem community! Read below for a few snippets from the glowing reviews we’ve received of this wonderful book.
The Book Thief
By Markus Zusak
Teen Fiction
The Book Thief is an ever-powerful representation of life. This book centers on the young German girl, Liesel, who always keeps moving forward despite a horrendous time, full of plenty of grief and sadness. This book paints a landscape for the triumph of spirit.
Book Review by Catherine
The Book Thief. If you don’t know the plot, you may be finding it amusing that a library volunteer is reviewing a title with such a name. Little did you know (or maybe you already knew), that this book is one of the best international bestsellers ever written. The story takes place right before and during the second world war. From the perspective of a unique narrator, Death itself, we slowly see the challenges and growth of the main character, Liesel.
To give a general summary, in the beginning, Liesel is separated from her original family. However, before parting ways, she steals her first book. Liesel then meets her adoptive parents and begins life in her new community. There’s a lot of issues that arise in the society she lives in, most prevalent of which is the Nazi influence and the second world war. In the story, there are a lot of important messages and themes that are told. Some include the power of words and propaganda, loss and abandonment, stealing and being in control, and many more. All of which have very profound implications.
This book is extremely well written, and the writing style is also very original. The fact that the author successfully uses a unique perspective and narration is also commendable. The Book Thief does well as a historical fiction accurately pointing out certain characteristics of the Nazi regime and the sorrows of war. When reading the book, it isn’t too far-fetched to say that it gives a good impression about what life would be like for a German citizen during that time, albeit with a few complications.
Book Review by Timothy, Orem Teen Library Council
