4 stars
From Schindler’s List to The Diary of Anne Frank, war is a theme that has been broached by many authors with varying degrees of success, making it a risky subject for writers. However, Zusak handles the topic sensitively, making The Book Thief an outstanding read.
Narrated by Death, The Book Thief tells the story of nine year old Liesel, who is sent to live with the formidable Rosa and kindly Hans following the death of her brother and hasty departure of her mother. Zusak provides us with a strong protagonist in Liesel; she is tough yet vulnerable, not afraid to speak her mind yet able to truly feel things. It’s hard not to fall in love with both her and her mischievous best friend, Rudy; Zusak portrays their relationship masterfully, highlighting the importance of true friends.
The Book Thief is one of those books which will make you laugh, cry, and above all, be glad to be alive. Both hugely ambitious and original, Zusak succeeds in showing the reader about the difficulties and moral dilemmas people faced during the war without getting too sentimental, whilst reminding us that Germany suffered too.
However, The Book Thief is by no means perfect. You’d be forgiven for thinking it had been translated into English due to the sometimes awkward and disjointed nature of Zusak’s writing, which can make the novel hard work.
But despite its flaws, it remains an incredibly powerful piece of writing that will stay with you long after the book has been closed, and even the coldest of hearts will struggle not to cry at the poignant ending.
No comments:
Post a Comment