The Book Theif by Marcus Zusak

I cried myself to sleep when I finished this book – I’m not exaggerating – just ask my patient husband who had to deal with me while I fell apart.

This is a beautifully written book is about a poor German family during World War II. The main character is a young girl who at the start of the book is traveling to meet her foster family. The narrator of the book appropriately is “Death.” The plot is heart breaking and moving and sweet all at the same time.

It’s written as a YA book and my first reaction was that I would not want my kids to read this for a really long time. I found myself so wrapped up in the characters, their frail lives, and the profound voice of death in the book – I could not put it down. In contrast, as the narrator gave hints of what was to come I wanted to keep the characters safe and was scared to turn the page. When I tried to tell my friend about the book, she suggested that I may feel things more profoundly than a teenager would. Her thought was that I am at a point in life where I understand the perspective of too many of the characters and the thought of losing a parent, a best friend, or a child is just way too much to deal with gracefully. That’s most likely just it – I was absolutely overwhelmed with it all – to the credit of the author who weaved such a moving story together.

I absolutely do recommend it however, as a book that needs to be read. When I was young my parents took their first trip to Poland– about 30 years after the war. When she returned, my mother gingerly told us about what she saw. I will never forget the image she described of rooms full of hair shaved off people who were to be showered to death – I didn’t understand how people could ever be so cruel to each other and happily,  even as an adult, I still don’t. This book will haunt it’s readers in the same way and perhaps that’s a good and necessary thing.

If you give it a read – I’d love to hear what you think – I’m off to find something romantic and lighthearted  – happy reading!