This is a fantastic read. The book is narrated by death, which sounds a very strange way to read and write a book but due to the author's (Markus Zusak) immense talent it works very very well.
The main character apart from death, is Liesel, a young girl growing up in Nazi Germany and through her we get to know her fellow sufferers. So clearly the subject matter is of a morbid nature but Zusak whilst making me feel very emotionally charged, did not make me dwell on the morbid or depressing issues in the book but rather be uplifted by the strengths of human nature when faced with such adversity.
Zusak is so clever in drawing parallels that I had not considered before - that books and words can be both wonderful and dangerous. The importance of books and words allowing Liesel to flourish and bring hope to others and also conversely terrible - Hitler's words and books for bringing such misery to millions.
I have always been interested in the Holocaust and issues around this and have many books about it. Another novel that had a profound effect on me was this one - A Past in Hiding: Memory and Survival in Nazi Germany by Mark Roseman
It was recommended to me by one of my tutors on my degree course, whilst taking the Dictators of Europe module. I have tried to get the girls and Liam to read it but none of them are really interested in this period - but again it is the strength of human nature which is the ethos of the book rather than the subject matter.
1 comment:
I loved The Book Thief too - so glad it was recommended to me as I wouldn't have picked it up.
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