The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

My latest read is a book that's been on my shelves for a few years.  I originally got it with the thought of reading it with the kids at school. Additionally it's on a subject that fascinates me:  The Holocaust.  This one, however, is a bit against the norm.

In The Book Thief, the narrator is Death.  Not the devil; not someone/something evil but the collectors of souls.  The story takes place in Germany during World War II.  Our main character is Liesel Meminger, who, at the age of nine, has already lost everything she holds dear.  She never knew her father; her mother, was a communist and so hunted by the Nazi's, and is forced to give Leisel away with the hope of giving her a life; Leisel's brother died en route to their new parents.  Leisel arrives in the blue-collar neighborhood of Molching.  Her new "mother" is a tough-talking, name-calling woman who loves in her own way, though it takes Leisel a long time to realize this.  Her new "father" is what, at first, gets Leisel through the toughest time in her short life.  With his assistance, Liesel learns how to read and learns how to cope with her nightmares. And as the war picks up speed and things (luxuries like books) are hard to come by, Leisel starts stealing to feed her new love of reading.  With each new book collected, Leisel's life changes.

This was such a different book told in such a unique way.  I took my time reading this because it was a tough subject with a lot of heartache but well worth the read.  Often when I read books about the Holocaust I wonder how a whole German society could let what happened during WWII happen.  This book showed me that most likely, people didn't just sit back and let things happen.  In their own ways they rebelled and did what they could to thumb their noses at Hitler.  Realistically, however, those living in such an upside down society were most focused on surviving.  After reading The Book Thief, I get that. 

I highly recommend this book.  I don't know that I could read it with my kids at school because it is very confusing and would boggle them but anyone else should read it.  (And there's a movie now too).