To celebrate its movie release on November 8th, I’m spotlighting The Book Thief this month. (Sorry Catching Fire. I love you too, but you get enough hype as it is. You don’t need my help ;-)).
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Synopsis
“The extraordinary #1 New York Times bestseller that will be in movie theaters on November 15, 2013, Markus Zusak’s unforgettable story is about the ability of books to feed the soul.
It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.
Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement.
In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak, author of I Am the Messenger, has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.”
Jen’s Review
When people ask me, “What’s your favorite book?” I first glare at them, and then I tell them I don’t have a favorite (what book nerd does?). Then, when they still won’t leave me alone, I spout off a handful of memorable titles. The Book Thief is always on the list. Always.
“How about a kiss, Saumensch?”
Now, I’m not going to lie: The Book Thief starts out a bit slow. You must be patient the first 100 or so pages while you warm up to the author’s style and the narrator’s unique voice. Once you get a grip on both, the story starts to fly by, faster and faster, until you can’t put it down and you’re heading towards what is shaping up to be a cataclysmic ending…Don’t worry, I won’t tell you what that ending is. This is a spoiler-free zone, remember? However, I will tell you that to this day (two years since I read the book) I still get teary-eyed about it. Happy tears? Sad tears? Tears of relief? Tears of frustration? Tears of I-can’t-believe-the-story-is-already-over!? Well, I’m not telling you! You’ll just have to read it and find out for yourself.
“A small fact: You are going to die….does this worry you?”
I can’t express how much I love this book. And I hope everyone reads it, especially before they see the movie. Because, as great as the trailer looks, we all know the book is always better than the movie, right?
Jen’s Rating
Read more about the Book Thief here!
Related articles
- The New ‘The Book Thief’ Trailer Will Tug at Your Heartstrings (VIDEO) (news.moviefone.com)
- On The Book Thief – Again (leajurock.wordpress.com)
- We have a new trailer for the WWII novel adaptation THE BOOK THIEF!! (aintitcool.com)
Jen's Pen Den 
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