Stolen Words: The Book Thief Review

Greetings!

My deepest apologies for this post being two weeks late. Life has been crazy lately and I haven’t had much “free time.” However, I am back and I hope to resume a regular posting schedule again.

Today I want to give a book review on a work that many people loved and suggested I read it. Ladies, gentlemen, I present The Book Thief by Marcus Zuzak.

If any of you remember the post I made awhile back about the WIP of my friend called Stellina, this is her favorite book. Not to mention a great many fellow writers have also recommended this. So, I finally borrowed it from the library with high hopes.

I did not expect the book to be so huge. Literally, two inches thick. There’s maybe one or two books I’ve read that are that big (besides the Bible, that is.) Anyway, despite the novel’s overwhelming “big-ness,” I was excited to get started.

***Warning: Unusual Writing Style***

Writing style is very unique unlike any other book.
Rather hard to follow at first.

Yes, I have stolen that weird break in my review from the story. XD For those of you who haven’t read the book, it’s a novel of Germany pre-WWII and during the War. It’s written in an engaging style by the embodiment of Death himself.

Weird?

Maybe. I found it amusing sometimes. However, it was very hard to get into. The prose was lovely and the stressing of colors and the things Death notices and marks down when he writes are things I want to improve in my own writing. But for someone who expected it to be a “normal” book about the book thief, Liesel, I was a bit disappointed at first.

One of the very unusual things that Zuzak uses in his writing is mentioned certain critical happenings way before they even happen. He mentions them in brief, or even hinting at what happens, and refers to it more and more in the story, giving more details each time so that you know something is going to happen, you just don’t know the how’s or what’s. It’s torture and intrigue at the same time.

Why?

Because you know, for instance, that such and such is going to die. However, all the details about it you don’t know.

***What I Didn’t Like***

The language.
I mean, really? Is it that necessary?
When I get my own copy I’m using a pen to censor it.

But the thing that makes the book so special is the characters and the story itself. My favorite character is probably a tie between Max and Mr. Hubermann. Especially Mr.  Hubermann. Such a lovable, endearing character. You fall in love with him (not romantically speaking here) pretty much exactly when you first meet him, and it only grows throughout the book. As for Jewish Max, such a tragic character, you just pity him so much and want him to live and survive the war. (Not giving any spoilers as to whether he does or not; you’ll have to suffer even as I did to find out.) All the characters are endearing though, even Mrs. Hubermann and her rough way of loving people. Rudy was a bit annoying to begin with, but you end up loving him too.

The story is set in dark times, and is very dark. Honestly. It’s sooooo sad. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who wants to read it, so I’m not going to talk about the plot. But just to let you know, I was bawling at the end.

You do, however, (slight spoiler here) discover that Liesel writes the story of it all, calling it The Book Thief and Death finds it and reads it and ends up writing the whole tale–hence the unusual style of narration.

And why, you may be asking, is it called The Book Thief?

Well, *shrugs sarcastically* the main character steals books. If you want to know the how’s and why’s, you need to get the book and read it. 😉

But the last chapter before the epilogue though… T_T It’s so sad. The words themselves just make me want to start crying again.

“I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.” ~ The Book Thief

 

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this post. I’ve been crazy busy with stuff lately so no promises on when I’ll have another review up.

Until later,

~ Cheyenne

 

P.S. Anyone else relate? XD