The Book Thief: A Hero's Journey

The Book Thief, written by an Australian author, Markus Zusak, is a devastatingly powerful historical-fiction novel that bears several re-readings. Being one of the greatest, most divinely-written epilogues in my school library, The Book Thief, is a soul-shattering, thought-provoking story that undoubtedly can be recommended to the young and old alike. This poignant, prolonged, but achingly sad book, is the pinnacle of contemporary historical-fiction, poised to become a classic. Phenomenally breathtaking, and inspiring, bringing nothing but anticipatory dread, this lyrical, surreal book, though depressingly morbid at times, was my “gateway” to historical-fiction. The tribulations and trials provided in the novel, had inevitable passion, perspective

The book I read was “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak. The title is called “The Book Thief” because the main character named Liesel does not know how to read so she steals books and her best friend Rudy calls her a book Theif in chapter 42.

The Book Thief is about a young German girl named Liesel Meminger as she goes through life while living in Germany in 1939. Liesel and her foster parents live a normal life on 33 Himmel Street. There is only one difference between their family and the others, they are hiding Max Vandenburg (a Jewish man) in their basement during the time of the Holocaust. This story, narrated by Death follows the life of Liesel from her first step into 33 Himmel Street, until the day she died in Sydney, Australia.

In the beginning of The Book Thief, the reader meets Liesel Meminger, her mother, and her brother, Werner Meminger. The father is never introduced. It is only said that he is a communist. Werner dies on the train to Himmel Street, the place that Liesel is left with a couple, Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Liesel’s mother is never seen again, but the reader assumes that she was taken away for being one of the Nazi’s targets. According to The Book Thief, “What came to her then was the dustiness of the floor, the feeling that her clothes were more next to her than on her, and the sudden realization that this would all be for nothing—that her mother would never write back and she would never see her again.” Nazis were the epitome of evil. They tore families apart and killed millions of innocent people.

Liesel most definitely could have trusted Rudy with the secret of having Max hidden in her basement. Rudy was clearly Liesel’s best friend and partner in crime when Liesel was doing her acts of thievery stealing the books from the mayor’s wife bookself. The devotion to Liesel Rudy also had was strong and I believe Liesel could have trusted Rudy.

Death describes himself a little; he doesn't carry a scythe, or wear a black robe unless its cold, and he looks like any person. 1942 is a very busy year for him, and he needs a vacation. There are so many humans to collect and colors to see. War is not Death's best friend, as the saying goes, but more like a demanding boss. When he remembers that year he likes to think of a little beauty as well, though, so he returns to the book thief's story.

There are many books that will teach you important lessons. In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak there are many lessons to be learned. Some of the lessons that the book teaches is that courage is the key to achieve anything, fear can be distracted, and Death’s kindness. These lessons are important to learn.

Most movies/documentaries that are made or books that are written on the Holocaust show the brutality of it and the horror. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak does that but it also shows the beauty among the poor working class Germans, such as love, friendship and subtle resistance. It also proves not all Germans believed in what Hitler was doing and that people like Liesel, Rudy, Max, and the Hubermanns were able to see the beauty in life while surrounded by so much ruin. Each character has a personal experience with the ugliness that Hitler brought with the Holocaust, but everyone also is able to see that light can be found even during the darkest of times.

Now this is the story of how Liesel’s life got flipped, turned upside-down. And I’d like to take a minute; just sit right there. I’ll tell you how she became a princess in a town called Molching. Ok, the story is way too dark to be making Fresh Prince of Bel Air references.

In Markus Zusak’s, “The Book Thief”, the characters are put through harsh and unfortunate events one after the other. The characters emotionally survive by creating coping strategies, through relationships with family and friends, and by building trust with other individuals.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak takes place during World War II. The narrator of the book doesn’t give a name, though he gives clues about who he is and he turns out to be death. The narrator is death. His job was to carry souls of humans away when their time has come. When he first encountered the book thief, it had been when her brother had died. It was winter, January 1939. Liesel Meminger, her mother and her brother, Werner, were on a train leaving Munich, Germany to Molching to move in with her foster parents, Rosa, and Hans Huberman. Of course as you know, her brother had not made it. As they held a small funeral in a near town, the guy who dug up the grave had dropped a handbook in the snow. The Grave Digger’s Handbook the title read.

The Book Thief, written by Markus Zusak. The small story is about a girl, some books, a painter, fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter and a lot of stealing. The story takes place in Germany during World War 2. The story is about a young girl, Liesel who witnesses her brother’s death on a train and she is given to adoption a few days later. She goes into a new world without any of her family and she goes into a new family called the Hubermanns.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak left a lot of beauty to the imagination and tears to the eyes. The astonishing and suspenseful events will just pull you in. The voice in the story is narrated in first person by the inevitable entity of death who interprets each event into colors. He isn’t an actual character in the book, but does indirectly show up. Death cannot help his self but to visit the living sometimes.

HERE IS A SMALL FACT - "you are going to die." A REACTION TO THE AFOREMENTIONED FACT - "Does this worry you? I urge you, don't be afraid. I'm nothing if not fair". A REASSURING ANNOUNCEMENT - "Please be calm, despite that previous threat.

As The Book Thief continued, I started to enjoy reading it. I was thinking in my head, this is gonna be one of those lame nonfiction books.From the prologue. The reason I made that first assumption was because, the prologue was hard to understand, boring, confusing, I would also say that it was very unique. There are a lot of very bold and courageous acts produced by different characters. There are a lot of little acts of courage that foreshadows the main events.