I mentioned recently that I've been slowly reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Well, last night I finally got totally hooked and stayed up well past bedtime to finish it. I can't say enough about this book. The writing is just beautiful, the words have taste, and smell, and just leap off the page into your mind.
This is what it says on the book flap:
Narrated by Death, Markus Zusak's groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a young foster girl living outside of Munich in Nazi Germany. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she discovers something she can't resist- books. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever they are to be found.
With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, Liesel learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids, as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement.
I think I cried for the last 100 pages. It's been a long time since a book made me this emotional. This book will stick with me for a long time, and it'll be a tough act for the next book to follow.
Maybe I should move this to the top of the list. I love this title.
ReplyDeleteI love the whole idea of this book.
Love the idea behind this. And the Jew who just happens to be hidden in the basement; VERY clever cover copy writing, there!
ReplyDeleteI've added this to my wish list, too. Thanks for the suggestion, Lisa!
After a recommendation like that, I HAVE to put it on my wish list. :)
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, this review doesn't even TOUCH on the book. It's so good. A warning though, it doesn't pull any punches. It's wonderful and terrible and so so good.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah....I bawled through the end. Not just shed a tear. I think I was sobbing!! My husband thought I was NUTS!! Best book I've read this year, and probably in the last 5!!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, hope you don't mind, but I tagged you for a Something about Me Meme on my blog! Just trying to learn a little bit about my new blogging friends!
Isn't it just amazing? I couldn't put the book down and I tell everyone they must read it.
ReplyDeleteit is TRULY an amazing amazing amazing book. I cried for the whole last hour (or 100-ish pages) I was reading it too. On a plane. Sitting next to a smelly frat boy. I'm sure he thought i was insane.
ReplyDeleteI haven't found it yet, they are always out at B&N. But, I do have I Am the Messenger to read.
ReplyDeleteDana, I wonder what the frat boy thought!
ReplyDeleteI got I Am The Messenger from the library, but I've heard it's not as good.
OK, I picked this up on audio book at the library before I left for a road trip this past weekend. I'm on disc 5 of 10 or 11. Does the story pick up the pace a little toward the end?
ReplyDeleteI like it OK so far, but it hasn't wowed me yet. I don't know if that's a result of it being on audio book instead of me reading it or if it gets better in the second half.
It does pick up as it goes, the last couple hundred pages are the best.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure about the audio, I don't really like audio books.
Oh, our shared love of this book! Nice to have you swing by. Cute blog!
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