Review Take Two: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Before we jump into April's review of The Book Thief, I'd like to explain what a 'Review Take Two' is. Occasionally, from here out April and I will review the same book, as is the case with Markus Zusak's beautiful novel. Afterwards, both will post a review with their independent thoughts. It's easy to distinguish in case one doesn't wish to read two reviews of the same novel so close together. This first one is more spaced out (or maybe they will end up usually spaced out. Who knows. I plan a lot of things.... and then life.) as my review was posted at the end of December last year. Here is April's:

Title: The Book Thief

Author: Markus Zusak

Genre: young-adult fiction, historical fiction

Series: N/A

Pages: 550 (paperback edition)

Published: 2006

Source: bought

Rating: 5/5

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still.

By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery.

So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.

But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jewish fist-fighter in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up, and closed down.

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.

The Book Thief came highly recommended and I was excited to read it. It’s about several years in the life of a young girl during WWII, as narrated by Death. Really, though, it’s about so much more than that.

The young book thief, Liesel, is adopted by a foster family and taken away from her mother who, seemingly sick, cannot take care of her and her brother. En route to their new home, her brother dies suddenly. Her mother has to leave her with her new family, so now she is alone and knows nobody, drowning in sorrow. But it is as she is at her brother’s funeral that she steals her first book, opening new paths that would eventually touch all of those around her.

Like many people, Liesel’s ability to rebound from the horrors in the world is remarkable. Death finds himself fascinated by her strength and passion, especially when it comes to those she loves. Zusak paints a picture of a girl who fits the expression “whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.” Her growth as a character ultimately leads you, as a reader, to find hope in the hidden corners of a basement or a deliberately left-open window into a library. Her heart is open and she finds room in it for new parents, new friends, and a hidden Jew, who all help in showing her that as long as there is love, there is life.

Believe me, though, there is tragedy aplenty in this novel. Much of it is nicely foreshadowed, or even outright warned, by Death. But from page one, you can almost taste it. A work of fiction it may be, but it’s still a work of fiction about Nazi Germany. Many of the true horrors are merely hinted at; regardless, the knowledge that these things really happened (within the last hundred years!) should still tear at you. (Unless you’re completely heartless, of course. I mean, someone several someones in history had to be, to allow this unfortunate spot in human history to occur.)

Liesel’s story is a touching and bittersweet one, with a sort of existential truth at the heart: life truly is what you make of it. It is about the love and sorrow of a young girl, the greater humanity those things represent, and ultimately the power of words to heal. Highly recommended.  

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My review is hardly contrasting as I rated the book the same 5/5 stars and had equal love for all things The Book Thief. If interested my review can be found here.

Top Ten Young Adult Favorite Reads of 2011

This has been a good reading year for me. I managed to read 212 books, for a total of 75,768 pages. Only 22 of those 212 warranted a five star rating from me, and only 9 young adult novels were among those 22 and most are represented here in this list. I read more YA this year than I have since I was a teenager, and have fallen in love with the genre. I'm still a fantasy girl at heart (expect a Top Ten Fantasy list soon!) but I was largely very impressed with my YA selections this year.

The Top Ten:

1. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

I read and reviewed this gem only in September of this year, but boy did it make an impression. The first in a series to come, I have high hopes for this author and series!

From my review:

The story is striking and imaginative and unforgettable. Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a genre-blending exercise of win, unlike anything I have yet read. It's a new, charismatic spin on the angel/devil/seraphim/nephilim/chimaera theme, populated with real characters with actual personalities - relayed by dialogue and deed rather than an infodump. I loved the nicely tuned balance of action and wit, drama with imagination and wordbuilding on a grand-scale. When's book two out? I cannot and hope not to wait long for another installment in this spellbinding world.

2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Though I just read this in December, The Book Thief is impossible not to add to this list. Affecting, poignant and utterly impossible to put down, this is one of the rare ones that deserves all the hype and acclaim it can garner. I was an absolute mess after finishing (only four hours after beginning!) but in that full-hearted way one feels after a really, really great book.

From the review:

This is a work of art in novel form, moving and poignant from  its start in 1939 to its all-too-soon finish. Zusak's portrayal of these stand-out characters (Liesel, Hans, RUDY) will linger long in your memory. Don't dismiss this novel out of hand as just "another YA", especially if you are an adult. This book will resonate with and affect you even if you're long gone from the dreaded teenage years.

You won't just passively read [The Book Thief]: you'll experience Liesel Meminger's world in all its horror and beauty. 

I can't recommend The Book Thief enough. If you take one recommendation from this blog at all this year, let it be this one.

3. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

 

I have yet to write a review for this YA fantasy novel done almost perfectly. Seraphina has many of the dreaded staples of its genre hated by nonreaders: weird, foreign names, words with too many vowels or beginning with "q", and of course: dragons. What is so wonderful about this 2012 release is the unique and individual spin Seraphina puts on all these old, used-up tropes. Never old or boring, this is a fresh and lively addition to the fantasy ranks. Keep an eye out for my upocoming glowing review for its publication later in the year!

4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Another great read I loved immensely that I've sadly failed to review, but hardly one that is hardly unknown. The Hunger Games series is a force to be reckoned with with movies on the way and numerous reprints and editiosns, and is an enjoyable trilogy. But of those three, the first novel is the strongest, and the obvious best. Katniss is at her best here, doing things and creating action, with Peeta there to provide am emotional outlet. The Hunger Games is shocking, engrossing and one of the best young-adult dystopians I've come across.

5. Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley 

My first young-adult novel from a Down Under author and I was quite blown away by the authentic emotions, strong yet still likeable characters, and dynamic storytelling consistently present throughout Graffiti Moon. This is a moving novel that is nothing short of impressive. I was hooked immediately and never wanted the book to end.

From the review:

I didn't just read Aussie author Cath Crowley's novel - I inhaled it. I read the entire two hundred sixty seven page novel in just under a three hour period; I couldn't put it down to eat, play with the dogs or even move from my desk to the reading chair. It's gripping, consuming and alive in a way very few stories are - and more should be. I want to pull huge sections from the narrative to quote - my whole review would be quotes if I were clever enough. This is, simply put, a beautiful book - beautifully written, carried, developed and ended. Graffiti Moon is a young-adult novel that transcends the genre of its origin; all ages of readers who appreciate a deftly woven, compelling read would treasure this book. It's brilliantly descriptive and full of evocative and moving imagery. This book moved me.

6. Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson

Ultraviolet is a great, great inceptive read. With an unreliable narrator and a truly interesting but completely real condition (synesthesia) Alison is a one-of-a-kind, original protagonist. She makes the book; strong, intelligent and relentless I wish more of my teenage female YA protagonists were more like her (though without the whole "did I murder someone or not" thing.) Twists and turns abound through the pages of this sci-fi mystery genre bender, and I need the sequel Quicksilver asap.

From the review:

This is a novel that more than lives up to its advertising byline: Everything You Know Is Wrong. But you'll only know the why and the how if you read this novel. Its got a unique premise, gorgeous prose, epic tons of quotes to love, and more than helluva twist more than recommend it.

7. Angelfall by Susan Ee

Yet another I've unfortunately yet to review, Angelfall is currently taking my GoodReads friends by storm. In my defense, I only heard of (and bought and read) this book mid-last week. I read it in two hours, and though it's relatively small at just 255 pages in ebook format, this is a GREAT novel. Angelfall gets so many things right that other authors miss, usually painfully: pacing, female action/fighting techniques, a gritty post-apocalyptic world, the romance angle, angels/nephilim, family interpersonal relationships.... all are handled ably and with a dab hand for imagery.

And one of the best parts about Angelfall? It's only $.99. Susan Ee is the first self-published author that has impressed me enough to wish she was traditionall published. I want my own hard copy of this delight and there none such as of yet. Buy this now, while you can get it cheap for Nook and Kindle. This is good. Buy it.

8. Lirael by Garth Nix

One of my first books reviewed for this very blog, I enjoyed Lirael far more than its predecessor and first in the series Sabriel. This is a smart and quite detailed YA supernatural novel with a very unique and creative magic system, first published way back in 2001, but one that hasn't aged a day.

 From the review:

Lively and absorbing, brimming with imagination and an utterly engaging plot. Suspense, sheer curiosity, genuine creepiness, unsettling creatures, along with unseen twists and turns make this a hard-to-put-down book. One of the best young-adult fantasy books I have ever read; better, even, than its predecessor Sabriel.I preferred Lirael as a protagonist compared to Sameth AND to Sabriel from the first book.

9. Abhorsen by Garth Nix

 Third and final book of the Abhorsen series and the second book of the trilogy to make this list (woo! what an accomplishment!;]), Abhorsen finalizes the strong trends and plots from the first two books. A fitting and very satisfactory ending to one of my favorite series, I was sad to end my reading but happy with the novel. This is a series for any fan of great female characters and unique, refreshing paranormal/supernatural aspects without vampires.

From the review:

This is a marvelous adventure. A great series with strong characters, a compelling plot and unique magic and creatures. Brilliant in all senses of the word. It is a  superb ending for an amazingly entertaining series; it deserves to be read. 

10. Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst 

I just had so much fun with this twisted little teenage vampire tale. Pearl is a vampire with no regrets: difficult, strident, rude, supercilious, and above all, amusing. She walks the fine line between aggravating and pure humor, and with the benefit of a unicorn and some escapes, she comes across easily on the amusing side. This is a book made of win and pure fun.

From the review:

The interesting set-up, the time-limit and unique proclivities of Pearl make the pace of this novel fly by. It's one of those books a reader picks up to peruse for a minute and is immediately lost within. I highly enjoyed this novel, and I think it will find love from a widely varied audience.
If you see it on a bookshelf in your near future, buy it, read it, love it.

Honorable Mentions:

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa (reviewed  here)

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (reviewed here)

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (reviewed here)

The Demi-Monde: Winter by Rod Rees (reviewed here)

Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts (reviewed here)

Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber (reviewed here)

Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Title: The Book Thief

Author: Markus Zusak

Genre: young-adult, historical fiction, general fiction

Series: N/A

Pages: 550 (paperback edition)

Published: 2006
Source: bought

Rating: 5/5

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still.

By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery.

So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.

But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jewish fist-fighter in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up, and closed down.

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.

There are books that you read, that sink tendrils into your heart and never leave. These are almost the very best kind of books, books like:  The Hunger Games, The Onion Girl, The Dogs of Babel or The Alchemist. Then there are those books that you feel, down to your very soul and in your bones. Books in which almost every word resonates perfectly within the reader, creating an enveloping, complete and often heart-wrenching story. Markus Zusak's alternately heart-warming and heart-breaking The Book Thief is one of those latter type of books: completely affecting, gorgeously written and endlessly readable. The Book Thief is not just a book of deeply affecting and believable characters: this is a book with living, breathing people upon its pages. Even Death, that fearful and unknowable force, is shown as compassionate and caring while watching the story of Liesel Meminger's life unfold. It's rare enough for me to add a new author to my favorites list, but Markus Zusak has done so with one novel, and one read of that novel, alone.

This is going to a different kind of review than my normal ones. It's very hard for me to articulate any kind of coherent thoughts about this book, even weeks after reading it. The Book Thief is impressive in scope, in character, in its vast, tangible emotions. Liesel Meminger is a burst of life and color from the page: real in all her imagined flaws, pains and triumphs. Spending over 500 pages with this determined foster child is revelatory and profound. It is best and most easily said succinctly: read this book. You will not be sorry you did. Yes, you will cry. Probably more than once (I definitely did at least three times), but The Book Thief is a novel deserving of your emotion and constant attention. Reading The Book Thief is an experience: draining but oh so worthwhile and rewarding. Encompassing love, war, hatred, fear, anger, infatuation and grief, this is a novel that is utterly unafraid to explore human emotion and human nature across the board.

Though this is by nature a more serious, emotional read, Zusak can come through quite unexpectedly with a sly or subtle humor that keeps the reader from veering into moroseness. I heartily appreciated the smattering of light-heartedness when they came about because this is a sad book, make no mistake. It's ultimately about the triumph of human will, of love and hope, but this is a sad novel to read.What I like best is that even when humor makes an appearace in the novel, it is used to prove or illustrate a point being made. I'm not going to go into detail about how vibrant and real I found Liesel Meminger, or her clinging to the written word in a world of uncertainty and denial. I won't go on about how a simple sentence like, "You never told me you had a son" would make several tears fall from my eyes.

The Book Thief may not be a "life-changer" for me as a reader (I don't know if any book is a life-changer), but it is definitely one I will take with me everywhere I go. And one I will recommend and throw at you until you give in and love read it. With a lyrical and mellifluous style for the chilling (and often heart-rending) events in The Book Thief, it is immensely readable despite the hard subject matter. This is a work of art in novel form, moving and poignant from  its start in 1939 to its all-too-soon finish. Zusak's portrayal of these stand-out characters (Liesel, Hans, RUDY) will linger long in your memory. Don't dismiss this novel out of hand as just "another YA", especially if you are an adult. This book will resonate with and affect you even if you're long gone from the dreaded teenage years.

"Many jocular comments followed, as did another onslaught of 'heil Hitlering.' You know, it actually makes me wonder if anyone ever lost an eye or injured a hand or wrist with all of that. You'd only need to be facing the wrong way at the wrong time or stand marginally too close to another person. Perhaps people did get injured. Personally, I can tell you that no one died from it, or at least, not physically. There was, of course, the matter of forty million people I picked up by the time the whole thing was finished, but that's getting metaphoric..."

Lastly, a final quote from Death that I found particularly apt and poignant:

"  *** A SMALL BUT NOTEWORTHY NOTE ***
I've seen so many young men
over the years who think they're
running at other young men.
They are not.
They're running at me. "

BUY THIS BOOK. 

You won't just passively read it: you'll experience Liesel Meminger's world in all its horror and beauty.

I can't recommend The Book Thief enough. If you take one recommendation from this blog at all this year, let it be this one.