The Book Thief Review

Title:  The Book Thief

Author:  Markus Zusak

Publication Date:  2007

Summary of the book:

 Here is a small fact:

‘You are going to die.’

1939 Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier.

Liesel a nine- year- old girl is living with a foster family on Himmel Street. Her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books. This is her story and the story of the inhabitants of her street when the bombs begin to fall.

Some important information:

The Novel is narrated by Death.

It’s a small story, about:

A girl

+

A accordionist

+

Some fanatical Germans

+

A Jewish fist fighter

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And quite a lot of thievery.

Another thing you should know:

Death will visit the Book Thief Three Times.

During the horrors of World War 2 Liesel Meminger is sent away to Himmel Street to live with her new foster parents; Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Liesel steals a book called The Grave Digger's Handbook and is fascinated by it even though she can neither read nor write, throughout the course of the book she learns to read and write and she finds solace in stealing books.

Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book, I was a bit reluctant to read it at first because of course it is set in ‘Nazi Germany’ and I knew that it would be pretty sad. But I’m glad that I finally decided to pick it up and read it, it’s very rare when a book reaches a spot in my top five favourite books when I’m only halfway through! Only behind to my all-time favourites; The Hobbit, The Magicians Nephew and The Harry Potter series.

You may be asking yourself; should I read this book? You may be a bit apprehensive as to whether or not you should read it, and I strongly encourage you to read it.  Sometimes a fictional interpretation of history helps the reader come to a real understanding of historic events, by reading it is almost like reliving historic events. This is an astonishing book and it has definitely encouraged me to read more fictional historic novels. I fell in love with the characters; Max, Liesel, Rudy, Hans even the story of the accordion made me shed a few tears.

Reviews:

"Extraordinary, resonant and relevant, beautiful and angry." (Lisa Hilton Sunday Telegraph)

"...a beautifully balanced piece of storytelling...Unsettling, thought-provoking, life affirming, triumphant and tragic, this is a novel of breathtaking scope, masterfully told. It is an important piece of work, but also a wonderful page-turner." (Guardian)

"A moving work which will make many eyes brim." (Marianne Brace Independent on Sunday)

"This is a weighty novel worthy of universal acclaim. A sense of dread prevades this beautifully written novel. As The Book Thief draws to a close, Death says: "There's a multitude of stories that i allow to distract me as I work." The story of the Book Thief, who tried to change the world in her own small way, proves one formidable and inspiring distraction." (Lianne Kolirin The Daily Express)

"Brilliant and hugely ambitious ... the kind of book that could be life-changing" (New York Times Book Review)

Film Adaptation:

There is a film adaptation of this book; the film came out in 2013.

It stars:

Sophie Nélisse as Liesel Meminger

Geoffrey Rush as Hans Hubermann

Emily Watson as Rosa Hubermann

Nico Liersch as Rudy Steiner  

More Historical Fiction 
Buy the DVD
Buy the Book

Wattpad Interviews: PureAwesomeness67

This is an interview with Pureawesomeness67, check out her works; Under the influence & The Lonely Hearts club! :)  

1) How did you find out about Wattpad?

I heard about it from a friend while I was still writing my first story. It sounded like a cool site, so I checked it out, and soon enough I began posting my own stuff on here.

2) How did you feel when you completed your first story on Wattpad?

I was really excited. I remember my first thought once I had posted the last chapter was, "Wow, I can now tell people I've written a novel. I finally did something useful with my life." And then I told about it to everyone who'd listen.

3) Were there times that you felt like giving up on a story? How did you overcome that hurdle?

With How I Met Your Brother and Under the Influence, I had absolutely no problems with that, but with everything else there had been a few times when I just lost all my motivation. I don't have writer's block too often, but when I do, it hits me hard. Most of the time, I have to take a break to work on something else or start something totally new (which is more of a bad habit than anything, because I've got four stories that are all kind of on hold). Sometimes watching movies or reading helps, just to get some inspiration.

4) Is there anyone/ anything that inspires you to write?

Movies and TV always seem to spark ideas in me (Shaun of the Dead inspired me to write The Z Word). Books and music, too. A few of my friends are also writers on here, so sometimes-- mostly  when we get stuck-- we give each other suggestions and bounce ideas back and forth.

5) Whose your favourite character to write about and why?

Hmm. This is a tough one. I have to go with Charlie and Hunter from Under the Influence, mostly because I spent quite a bit of time planning their development and what their personalities would be like. They're complementary, they bring out the best in each other. I tried really hard with these two.

6) Are there any parts of your novels that are based on real life experiences?

 I wish! No, my life isn't nearly as interesting as my stories. There might be a few instances in which something is based off a real life situation in How I Met Your Brother, but they aren't that significant. There's the "Sexy Derriere Song" that my friends made up in eighth grade... I can't think of anything else

7) Were you worried what people would think when you uploaded you stories?

I was, at first, but not as much anymore. When you start writing (or doing anything, really) there's always the fear that people won't like or agree with what you write, but once you get over that and start writing for yourself instead of everyone else, it becomes a lot easier.

8) Do you have any tips for aspiring writers on Wattpad?

The most important thing is not to give up. There will be times when you think you won't be good enough, or you run out of ideas or motivation, but keep going. Don't get discouraged just because you don't have as many votes or comments as other people. Those don't matter. Write for yourself and nobody else. Those are the most important things to remember.

9) to what extent do you plan before starting to  write your story?

It varies. Sometimes I just plan the characters and let the plot develop as I go. Other times, I make character biographies and write down everything that's going to happen in a chapter before I write it. It really depends on the story.

10) what are your current goals for your ongoing stories on Wattpad?

I'm hoping to edit them one day and send them to a few publishers, try my luck. I don't know. I'm not too focused on getting published just yet, though. I want to hone my writing first.