Book review: The book thief

The Book Thief
Published: 2005
Author: Markus Zusak

Author Blurb

IT IS 1939. NAZI GERMANY. THE COUNTRY IS HOLDING ITS BREATH. DEATH HAS NEVER BEEN BUSIER, AND WILL BECOME BUSIER STILL. 

Liesel Meminger and her brother are being taken be their mother to live with a foster family outside Munich. Liesel's father was taken away on the breath of a single, unfamiliar word - Kommunist - and Liesel sees the fear of a similar fate in her mother's eyes. On the journey, Death visits the young boy, and notices Liesel. It will be the first of many nearer encounters. By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is "The Gravedigger's Handbook", left there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. 

So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordion-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.

I bought The book thief after a lot of deliberation (as is a common occurrence with my Waterstones purchases)  and with a fair amount of trepidation, I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction but the fact that the story was narrated by death intrigued me and judging by the copious amount of reviews I have read almost everyone else seemed to be singing its praises.

I guess I'm the anomaly.

Although the idea was interesting I wasn't left with the sense of amazement that, I have to admit, I was desperately hoping for. Instead upon finishing the book, I was left with an overwhelming sense of relief that it was over .... I struggled to follow the story line and to be honest didn't find it that emotive or interesting. What many have said was a captivating and refreshing writing style I found disjointed and lacking in depth, because of this I found it difficult to relate wholly to the characters.

Having said that, I did relate somewhat with nine year old Liesel Meminger's actions, I mean who would be able to resist the pull of a book, especially when you have been told that you are forbidden to read it?
In another sense however, I found her to be completely unrelatable especially around her relationship with Rudy Steiner. I understand the need and craving for a stable friendship in such turbulent and unpredictable times, and I see the need to treasure it if and when it has been found but I did think that those two, young, characters were made to be something that they were to young to be and understand. Maybe that was the point and I missed it; maybe the circumstances were forcing children and adults grow up before their time?

Despite my somewhat harsh criticisms and potential misunderstandings I am glad that I gave this story a chance as it was definitely a change from my usual reads. And, even if I don't read it again, it looks pretty on my shelf.

Rating: 1/5