Review of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Reviewed by Nivin Khan, 2022.

Markus Zusak paints a beautiful portrayal of life in Nazi-occupied Germany during World War II in The Book Thief. ‘Death’ narrates the coming-of-age story of Liesel, a girl orphaned at nine, since being taken into care by her foster family in a small town outside of Munich. Using her first stolen book, Liesel learns how to read and write while growing closer with her foster father, Hans. The plot intensifies as Liesel begins stealing books from the mayor’s library and when Liesel’s foster family takes in a Jewish man, Max, to save him, all while the dangers of war come ever closer to home. Readers will love watching Liesel develop relationships with Hans, Max, her best friend Rudy, and even the mayor’s wife. Through this heart-touching and well-crafted story, experience the true impacts of living in war, from a small family to a whole town.

This novel can be found in the Teen Fiction section of Laurier’s Library and Learning Commons.