This novel is set during World War Two in the town of Molching, near Munich, Germany. Death narrates the story of the young girl, Liesel Memminger. She becomes the foster child of Hans and Rosa Hubermann. On the way to her new home, she watches her younger brother die and those dreams will haunt her for many years. She is closest to her father and learns to appreciate her mother. She cannot read, but slowly learns to with the patient help of her father. She steals her first book from the graveside of her brother and the story follows her book stealing passion. The novel weaves through the years of the war, watching as the Jews are cast from her town, her father's rejection of the Nazi Party, and the effects of the Nazi Party on her friends and family. She befriends a Jewish man, Max, and all of the emotions and secrecy associated with that. The plot is quick paced and pulls at your heart. It brings to life the voice of German citizens from the war and helps the reader visualize the heartache many Germans faced throughout the war.
The writing is not my favorite. Death is a random narrator. He stops mid-story to insert random facts and stories. He will define words in bold in the middle of the page for emphasis. He also will devote 2-3 page chapters to tell you what is going to happen later in the book, in order to remove some of the suspense. I did not like the voice nor the way the writing was laid out. Sometimes it was difficult to follow and see the vision for where death was going.
Though I liked the plot and know many others will too, for me, the writing overshadowed the plot and at times made it difficult to enjoy the book. I read book reviews and others rave for the narrator and the prose style; that is fine- we all have our differences.
I recommend this book to read- some of you may feel differently then I do, but it is not one of my most favorite books of all time. Good luck and let me know what you think.
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