Reading The Book Thief was a great treat. Our Thursday book group was filled with interesting discussion starting with the effect of Death as the narrative voice of the novel. We agreed that having the story revolve around the daily lives of children in a small German town during the atrocities of Nazi rule & war-making contributed to the readability of the book.
The Book Thief is filled with great characters. Rudy, the Jesse Owens worshiping youngster who aims to please on one hand & do the right thing on the other, which in the tragedy of war is easy to confuse. Hans, the gentle father figure who knows what's morally right & acts on it, only to suffer as a result. Ilsa, an illusive woman who has disappeared from living in the outside world until the book thief makes regular visits to her library. Which of course leads to Liesel, the 11-year old book thief with a heart of gold, fiery spirit & passion for living.
For those who haven't read this book, written for young adults by Australian author Markus Zusak, do yourself a favor & add it to your reading list this summer. You will be rewarded by this remarkable book.
