The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Book Thief is a historical fiction novel told from the perspective of Death. He follows Liesel Meminger, a young German girl that lives with foster parents in a small town outside Munich, Germany. One day Hans Hubberman, Liesel’s foster father, brings home a man named Max, who is Jewish. The family hides the starved man, and through his stay, the little girl and Max develop a bond. Eventually, the family and the town will face a devastating encounter with the ongoing war. Kirkus Review perfectly describes Sepetys’s writing as “elegant, philosophical and moving” as well as “Beautiful and important.” (“When Death tells a story,” 2010)

Critical Analysis

The story moves between the first-person and third-person with an all-knowing narrator who can describe everyone’s thinking and feelings. The foster father, Hans Hubberman, is kind and loving, while Rosa Hubberman, Liesel’s foster mother, has a rough exterior, which hides a loving heart. Liesel’s best friend Rudy is likable and caring, as is Max, the Jewish man hiding in her home. Themes in The Book Thief include friendship, war, death, family, literacy, prejudice, and racism. Readers may enjoy Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, the story of a girl who helps her best friend’s Jewish family escape from Denmark.

The Book Thief’s strength is its unique story that increases understanding of this era. Its weakness is the abrupt ending, which leaves the reader with more questions than answers.

Audiobook Details

Reviewed using the unabridged audiobook version using the Axis 360 application with a length of thirteen hours and fifty-six minutes. The narrator’s performance is exceptionally engaging with instinctive timing. There are no author notes at the beginning or end of the audiobook.

References

“When Death tells a story.” (2010, May 20). The Book Thief. Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved March 28, 2022, from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/markus-zusak/the-book-thief/

Zusak, M. (2006). The Book Thief. (A. Corduner, Narr.) [Audiobook] Listening Library. https://bpls.axis360.baker‑taylor.com/Title?itemId=0012210099&ISBN=9780739348345&isRecommendable=false&collectionType=null