The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
Doubleday
*****
Wow - what a fantastic read. What a brave writer to use a non-human to narrate this wonderful and moving story. Markus Zusak breaks so many conventions in writing this book. Firstly, he gives away facts at the beginning of chapters. These incorporate information about the chapter to follow. I believe it lessons the need to elaborate. Secondly, he tells the reader what is going to happen later in the book. The marrator says he does this because he "doesn't have much interest in building mystery." He says that there's "so much story" anyhow and has a discussion with the reader.
The protagonist is a young German girl who is fostered by a couple and it is the story of her and the neighbours on Himmel Street, in Molching, Munich during the second world war. It is told beautifully and touchingly about an eleven year old who's mother has to give her up. She is a girl who sees so much suffering and death and a girl with a passion for reading. This is a skill that she learns quite late, taught to her by her poorly educated forster father - "Papa" whome she adores.
It portrays her growing friendship with Rudy, her neighbour and compatriot in her "stealing" and her deep connection with Max, a Jew who the family keep hidden in their basement. The narrator is the collector or souls after the bodies have died.
He points o ut about human frailties, human kindness, and cruelty and what makes us human and inhumane.
It's a must read.
Doubleday
*****
Wow - what a fantastic read. What a brave writer to use a non-human to narrate this wonderful and moving story. Markus Zusak breaks so many conventions in writing this book. Firstly, he gives away facts at the beginning of chapters. These incorporate information about the chapter to follow. I believe it lessons the need to elaborate. Secondly, he tells the reader what is going to happen later in the book. The marrator says he does this because he "doesn't have much interest in building mystery." He says that there's "so much story" anyhow and has a discussion with the reader.
The protagonist is a young German girl who is fostered by a couple and it is the story of her and the neighbours on Himmel Street, in Molching, Munich during the second world war. It is told beautifully and touchingly about an eleven year old who's mother has to give her up. She is a girl who sees so much suffering and death and a girl with a passion for reading. This is a skill that she learns quite late, taught to her by her poorly educated forster father - "Papa" whome she adores.
It portrays her growing friendship with Rudy, her neighbour and compatriot in her "stealing" and her deep connection with Max, a Jew who the family keep hidden in their basement. The narrator is the collector or souls after the bodies have died.
He points o ut about human frailties, human kindness, and cruelty and what makes us human and inhumane.
It's a must read.
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