What readers think of The Book Thief, plus links to write your own review.

Death is alive. Does that make sense? In Nazi Germany in 1939 and beyond - death as a narrator in the insanity of the times is almost too real; but there's also life! Sometimes depressing, sometimes glorious. Read the book! Laugh, cry, but remember. A great read for everybody.

Fabulous. Insightful. Heartbreaking. Full of hope for the future of that era. A testimonial for the indestructible human spirit. Quite truthful historically as well as in terms of human suffering during that war. I know this because I was there.



This well written, well researched book would be enjoyed by all ages.

I have just finished reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. At first, I was a bit put off by the format...everything was in very short sections, but as I continued, the sections lengthened and I was thoroughly caught up in the story line.

Having Death as the narrator provided a very interesting point of view. We don't tend to think of "Death" as being a "job," but "he" came across as an intelligent, thoughtful being who went about doing what was needed, commenting on humanity as "he" went on about his tasks. I have heard it said by many that they don't fear "Death" itself, but the actual process of dying. Zusak's personification of "Death" supports this concept.

While it is hard for me, as a Jew, to sometimes accept the fact that there were Good Germans during that time period, there were good and innocent people who were caught up in the events of WWII. And, as in all conflicts, the most unlikely people turn out to be heroes and persons of great compassion, understanding and love.

I would highly recommend this books. The characters are all intriguing and there is much more to them that what is immediately present.

This is a superlative book that should be read by as many people as possible – from about 9th grade level young people to adults. The author illuminates complexities of human behavior and also helps us to see depths of good and evil that are often missed.

I found this book to be wonderful. I am not sure if it is a child's book, I think my 12 year would have had a hard time with it. I finished the book in 2 days while on vacation, I could not put it down. The author made me feel like I was part of the family, living with Liesel, learning and understanding her new family and friend with her. I liked that Death was narrating it, and the fact "he" was not anyone bad, just a person doing his job like everyone else. I will keep this book to re-read and have my daughters read when they are a little older and and get the most out of it. I highly recommend it to everyone

What a very different approach to a well covered subject. From the moment you figure out who the narrator is, this book despite being over 500 pages long, holds your attention. The characters are rich and complex and book clubs would enjoy delving into all their personalities and conflicts. It centers around the rise of Hitler in a small part of Germany and how this affects the lives of the people who live there. Markus Zusak has a very different style of writing that I enjoyed and would recommend to everyone. You will smile and cry and carry it with you when you are done.

Exceptional, captivating, heartwarming... so many words to describe how excellent I found The Book Thief. One need Liesel's "words" to describe the many emotions provoked by this wonderful story. The characterizations are outstanding. Each character has their own special quality to regard. I highly recommend The Book Thief. And have already done so!

This is one of the best books I have ever read. It is definitely not just for young people and I shall remember the characters for a long time.

The magic relationships that we see grow & deepen between Liesel & her foster parents, dear Rudy, and Max & Ilsa, the Mayor's wife, point to the importance of words & their power. At the beginning we find Liesel begging her foster father to teach her the words so that she can read. Which he lovingly does. At the close of The Book Thief, we learn we are reading her book. It is her story and we are privileged to read it.

The Book Thief challenges our humanity & inhumanity. This is a must read for book clubs!