Plot Summary [1]
The Book Thief takes place in Germany before and during World War II. The story is told from the point of view of Death, who finds the story of the Book Thief, Liesel Meminger, to be very interesting, as she brushed Death three times in her life. The novel begins when Liesel's mother takes Liesel and her brother Werner to live with foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann. We learn that her father is a communist, and her mother is chronically sick. Her brother dies during the trip and Liesel steals the apprentice Gravediggers' Grave Digging handbook, after he drops it in the snow. This would be Liesel's first close call with death, as well as her first time stealing a book. Liesel's foster mother and father, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, treat her well, though Rosa often insults Liesel by calling her a pig in German (affectionately, of course). Hans teaches her how to read using "The Gravedigger's Handbook", and she continues stealing books from various sources - mainly the library of Ilsa Hermann, the mayor's wife, a friend of hers who enjoys and tolerates her thievery. Liesel also befriends the other children of Himmel Street, including Rudy Steiner, who is in love with her and is also her best friend.
Eventually, Hans and Rosa take in and hide Max Vandenburg, a Jewish man whose father saved Hans' life in World War I. Max becomes friends with Liesel, making her two books, using repainted pages from a copy of Mein Kampf(My Struggle) and showing her his life story in a series of sketches. However, the Nazi presence and the rise of World War II throw all of their lives into turmoil. When a parade of Jews is brought through the town, Hans gives a piece of bread to an old man. He and the old man are whipped and the family lives in fear of the Gestapo searching their house and discovering Max. They arrange for Max to leave and rendezvous with Hans after a few days; however, when Hans arrives at the meeting point he finds only a note that they believe is from Max saying "You've done enough." After a few weeks, Hans is ordered into the army, as is Rudy's father, Alex Steiner - this is also a punishment; Rudy shows athletic and academic promise and is offered a place at an 'elite' school which was meant for Germany's future elite group, which his parents refuse. Hans is drafted into an air raid service, however after a few months he breaks his leg and returns home.
Liesel begins to write her own book, The Book Thief : the story of her life. When Himmel Street is bombed, she is the only survivor, as she was in the Hubermanns' basement, finishing her book that Hans encouraged her to read. She finds the bodies of her foster parents, and then Rudy. This is Death's third encounter with Liesel. Distraught, she drops the book, which Death finds and keeps. She goes to live with the Hermanns and when Alex Steiner returns, works in his tailor shop. In 1945, Max Vanderburg walks into the shop and he and Liesel are reunited. At the end of the book, Death tells us that she dies in Sydney, Australia, although few other details of her life are revealed, and gives her back the book, along with a truth he can not tell anyone else: "I am haunted by humans."
Total Death Encounters: 1) When Liesel was in the train with her younger brother. Werner coughed and stared blankly into the floor as death came and noticed Liesel. 2) After an air raid an American bomber plane crashes into the woods just at the end of Himmel street, Rudy walks to the dying man in the plane and puts a teddy bear on his chest before being carried away. Death saw Liesel and recognized her. 3)During a unknown midnight air raid on Munich, the bombers missed and hit Himmel street. Death watched as Liesel ran to see all of her dead peers. He was especially sad to take Rudy, He had so much life and so much to live for. He takes his soul when Liesel bent down to gave him a final farewell kiss, as she was in love with him after all. This is when Death finds the book.
Editorial Review [2]
The Book Thief will be appreciated for Mr. Zusak's audacity, also on display in his earlier I Am the Messenger. It will be widely read and admired because it tells a story in which books become treasures. And because there's no arguing with a sentiment like that.
[1] Wikipedia.org: The Book Thief
[2] The Book Thief - Markus Zusak - Review - Books - New York Times
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