It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery.
Death
In Markus Zusak’s ‘The Book Thief‘ death is both a character in the novel and its grim, tormented, occasionally optimistic and humorous narrator who startles the reader with statements such as “I’m always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty and I wonder how the same thing can be both.”
The historical novel is set in Nazi Germany during the Second World War and follows the story of Liesel Meminger, beginning when she is nine years old and grieving the death of her brother and separation from her mother.
Early in the book, Liesel’s brother dies and her mother is forced to send her away to live with an older couple, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, on Himmel Street in the fictional town of Molching in Germany. Having little education, she is ridiculed in school and has frequent nightmares that only stop once Hans begins to sit with her at night.
Hans Hubermann, an accordionist who paints for a living, is frequently accused of being sympathetic to the Jews. Unlike his somewhat taciturn wife, he is Liesel’s main source of security in the absence of her mother. Seeing her love of words, he encourages her to read and eventually to write her own story. His wife Rosa seems at first a cold person who doesn’t particularly care for her husband and foster daughter. However, Death tells us that Rosa, surprisingly, has a very big heart, and does, in fact, love both Hans and Liesel.
In addition to Hans, Leisel has two other friends, the Jewish prize fighter Max Vandenburg who is hiding in the Hubermanns’ basement and her classmate Rudy Steiner. Rudy is inspired by Jesse Owens, the African American athlete who won four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics and tries to emulate his hero with interesting results. Funny and perceptive, Rudy manages to make friends with Liesel in spite of irritating her with his constant attempts to kiss her.
At first Molching seems like a decent, happy town with bright, well-meaning people, but as the book progresses, the Nazis gain more control, with Jewish shops being destroyed and large yellow stars painted on doors and windows – ideological and racial differences become stronger. Liesel and Rudy have to join the Band of German Girls and Hitler Youth, respectively. For the Führer’s birthday, a large bonfire is set up for burning the books of enemy propaganda but Liesel manages to ‘steal’ a book that has survived the fire. Noticing this Ilsa Hermann, the mayor’s wife, also a book lover, invites Liesel to visit her library and read the books available there.
First the colours. Then the humans. That’s usually how I see things. Or at least, how I try. Here is a small fact: You are going to die.
Death
As the novel progresses, Liesel sees more and more sinister consequences of living in Nazi Germany and faces heart-breaking losses, trying all the while to find some comfort in stories and words. A deeply moving story of survival in the darkest of times, The Book Thief is unputdownable (you’ll probably begin it again once you finish the story) but definitely not for someone who wants a light and entertaining read. Given the seriousness of the themes, it qualifies as a young adult novel rather than children’s literature.
Zusak said in an interview that The Book Thief means ‘everything’ to him. It certainly means a lot to me. Don’t miss it!
Johanna Hashmi is an energetic high school student who lives in Bangalore and loves spending time with her cat, reading, baking, writing and dancing with her best friend. You can find her at https://veniviciscripsi.wordpress.com/ A longer version of this review first appeared on her blog.