The Book Thief Review

As you may remember, the Book Thief was the first on my fall reading list. Well, I finished, and I decided to write up a quick review, in case you were on the fence like I was. No spoilers, I promise.

Let me preface this by saying that I didn't want to read this book. I don't normally read about depressing topics. For example, I wouldn't normally pick up a book on the Holocaust. I'm a book crier (and a movie crier, especially those of the Disney variety) and I really didn't want to pull down my good mood. This one was getting rave reviews, and I put aside my reservations this one time (that's how they get you).


After I finished the first chapter, I was ready to recommend it to others. This story really draws you in and keeps your interest. I was searching for moments in my day to pull out the book and keep reading, stealing my own words in my spare time. I get it now.

The plot is drenched in the death and devastation of World War II. The main character isn't Jewish, she is a German in a German town with blonde hair and a rough start. The story is told by the most unlikely of narrators. We never catch his name, but we learn a lot about him during our time together.

This book provides hope for the human race amidst destruction. It shows proof that you don't necessarily need to be good at something to love it. It also shows that no matter how small your story is in the vast scheme of heroics, someone may be touched by it. There are other messages from the book, but you will have to read it yourself.

And yes, I cried. The end left me in a complete bittersweet sadness that is expected of books about this particular era in humanity. I don't regret reading it; I feel better for it. I have read that they are turning this book into a movie. It always worries me when beloved stories are turned into movies, and this is no exception. This book was so excellent due to the narrative voice, and it may be hard to relay that to the big screen. Either way, I may not be able to watch the movie for a while. I still have to get over this book.

See? No spoilers. Read it-borrow or buy, I don't care. It was worth it.