The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Book # 6 for 2014

I've wanted to read this book for a long time but also dreaded it starting it.  I knew it was a very good book, based on the reviews, but the story is also tragic.  It's set during the 2nd world war and narrated by the character of Death, who described it as a very busy time with the sky always a different color when he picks up the souls of the recently dead. "People observe the colors of a day only at its beginnings and ends, but to me it's quite clear that a day merges through a multitude of shades and intonations with each passing moment.  A single hour can consist of thousands of different colors... I make it a point to notice them."

The Book Thief is Liesel Meminger, a German orphan taken in by the Hubermanns living in Molching Street, a very poor part of town.  Her brother died before her eyes and her mother left her to strangers.  She befriends Rudy, who became her partner in thieving adventures.  What this book made me realize is that while we all remember the suffering of the Jewish people during the war but are not as aware of the suffering of the Germans.  It's true that nobody really wins in a war.

Because the story is narrated by Death, it has a dark, foreboding tone.  Some happy events are described but there is always a sense that something bad will happen next.  The death of Rudy was alluded to very early in the book and I was always wondering if it might happen in the next chapter.  I held myself back from getting emotionally invested because I was dreading the tragedy.  Maybe not the best approach.  I remember crying over John Irving books before and I count them as favorites.

This is a really good book, for the imaginative storytelling and the poetic narrations.  Great story as well. It seems a fairly simple plot on the surface but the events and other characters were woven together very well. There is death and tragedy, but there is also compassion, heroism and finding comfort amidst suffering, even if it has to come from a stolen book.