The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a profound, heartbreaking historical fiction narrated by Death. Tasked with collecting the souls of the departed, Death recalls the life of an extraordinary book thief. He tells the story of a young girl adopted by an old couple in Molching, Germany. Despite the Nazi-organized book burnings, Liesel learns to read and write, recovering works from the mayor’s library and piles on the street. But when her family hides a persecuted Jew in their basement and the bombings begin to shake their little town, Liesel’s seemingly small world is transformed.
Zusak’s writing evokes powerful emotions as Liesel inspires readers with her perseverance and ability to remain good while the world demands evil. While reading this book, I felt every moment of fear, happiness, and loss as the characters navigate World War II. The chapters are short, which makes the book more fast-paced. I like that there are enough happy moments to balance the melancholy. It saves the book from being too depressing and makes the prose even more beautiful. I believe this book will become a classic for future generations. If you enjoy reading thought-provoking historical literature, I highly recommend this novel!