The small town of Molching was struck by famine, hanging by their fingertips on the cliff of starvation. Death, more commonly known to humans as the Grim Reaper or the Lord Death, is the narrator of this story and happens to be curious about one of the humans, a girl who sees light in the darkest of places. A little girl named Liesel Meminger whose brother has just died is sent away from her mother because her mother is grief-stricken and unable to care for her any longer. Liesel lives the next five years of her life in almost hellish conditions, but still being able to see the good in things. She makes friends, learns much from the people around her, and has as good a life as anyone can really afford to have. Suddenly her life changes forever.
Although this book is amazing, it contains content that might make readers feel triggered, angry, or sad. This book dives deep into life in Germany during the Second World War and mentions the Holocaust.
So why is this book so good? Well, this book has made me laugh, cry, sob, feel disappointed, and frankly a little scared. The writing by Marcus Zusak was brilliantly descriptive and used intense amounts of imagery. This book wasn’t sugarcoating any of the topics in Nazi Germany that might have otherwise been retold or softened. This book used feelings that were relatable for myself and other people that I know have read this story. The movie adaptation was off but still encapsulated some of the big ideas of the novel itself.
This book has changed my perspective on life itself, learning that each life is unique and matters to somebody, even when they feel like they are hated. The importance of literature in a person’s life is what builds and destroys nations, and the power to speak is the power to change.
I didn’t put the book down once and found this read very entrancing, and Liesel became one of my favorite fictional characters ever.
