Historical Fiction Genre "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak

Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. Print; ISBN: 978-0-375-84220-7; Paperback Price $12.99.

Annotation

            This story follows the story of Liesel and her childhood in World War II Nazi Germany. As Death narrates her life, grow to understand her and how she fights against personal struggles by becoming a book thief.

Awards

• This novel has won over 14 awards over the years. Among them include the "Notable Books for Teens Award" and the "National Jewish Book Award."

Mini Book Review

Markus Zusak’s book titled The Book Thief is a historical fiction novel that dates back to the years of World War II in Nazi Germany. Witness the struggles of  Liesel, coping with her surroundings as she becomes the adopted daughter of the kindly painter Hans Hubermann, and his aggressive wife Rosa. The story outlines Liesel’s childhood as she grew up in Nazi Germany, including the relationship with her family and childhood friend Rudy Steiner, coping with her abandonment by her parents and the death of her brother, and her own discomfort of Nazi Regime, which gets more complicated when her father hides a Jew, Max Vandenburg in the family basement. Watch as she finds a way to cope with the stresses in her life through reading and eventually stealing books. This story, told through the mouth of a personification of Death gives a detailed account of Liesel Meminger and her life as “the Book Thief.”

            Considering the narrator of the story is Death and the setting is Nazi Germany World War II, it is worth mentioning that this story may make certain people uncomfortable to say the east. This discomfort aside, the story is beautifully written with Death portraying the story in a morbidly quirky and somewhat snarky tone when needed. It should also be noted that the various themes range from morality, and coping with one’s environment which is an issue itself in today's youth. The language and the subject of the literature makes this book perfect for young adults who are interested in Historical Fiction. It is both enjoyable, and entertaining, thought its language and subject matter make it more suitable for mature young adults such as high-schoolers, and maybe some middle-schoolers. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Historical Fiction and anyone who wants to read a good drama. 

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