The Book Thief

Rudy Steiner is a young boy who is a great friend to Liesel. He is an interesting character who worships the ground Jesse Owens (faster runner) walks on. He is a skilled robber and develops feelings for Liesel at a very young age often asking for a kiss. He is often funny and a great person to be around.

Isla Hermann is an old women who Liesel has an unexpected relationship with. She is married to the mayor and is not very talkative. She is very friendly and loves Liesel as a mother loves her daughter. She is a generous lady and encourages people in everything they do.

Max Vanderburg is a Jew whose parents have passed away. Before coming to live with the Hubermann's

Liesel is at a young age when she travels with her mother and her brother to her new foster home. On the way there her smaller brother dies of a bad cough and Liesel experiences his death out of the corner of her eye. This is the first time Death meets Liesel.

During the funeral Liesel sees a book titled 'The Grave Digger's Handbook' and this is the first of many books to be stolen by Liesel Meminger.

Liesel continues the journey with her mother and the two grieve together in silence. Upon her arrival Liesel bids farewell to her mother and the two never see eachother again.

Liesel meets her new foster parents; Rosa and Hans Hubermann. At first she is reluctant to live with them even refusing to enter the house! Gradually she warms up to them and she develops two very different relationships with both of them.

Liesel is introduced to all the locals living on Himmel street and befriends a young boy, Rudy Steiner. She is also introduced to Rosa's clients and meets a particularly interesting old lady, Isla Hermann.

The story continues on about Liesel's life for a while and focuses on her relationships with her friends and family and the books she takes. There is a sudden turn in the book when Hans Hubermann decides to accomadate a Jew. The story changes dramatically, focusing on the Jew, Max Vanderburg.

Soon a lot of the holes in the story are filled in and it gets slightly more entertaining. Liesel realies her feeling for Rudy, Hans returns from war, Isla Hermann becomes Liesel's unexpected source of books and Max suddenly vanishes.

Liesel is watching a Jew parade as she does each time to look for Max and when he appears she is both shocked and horrifies. She gives him a tearful hug and says her goodbyes. All the while the bombs are getting closer and closer to Himmel street.

Night after night Liesel creeps down to Max's former bedroom(The basement) to write a book about her life. The night she finishes her book is a dreadful one and Death comes to take everyone Liesel knows and loves from her life.

Liesel wakes up not knowing what has happened and as soon she realises she weeps. She never got to say goodbye. She never gave Rudy the kiss he always asked for and she never said goodbye to her dear foster parents.

The story ends with Death and Liesel walking hand in hand. Liesel had a successful life and lived to an old age. She had seen Max again for which she was deeply grateful and built up her life from nothing. Death asks her if Liesel remembers the book she wrote many many years ago and Liesel remembers and dies in happy place and joins all her loved ones.

I think that the Book Thief is a wonderfully described book which the author has obviously taken a lot of care to write. Markus Zusak is a great writer and I highly recommend this book for people who enjoy reading about War. One of the bext books I have read this summer. A very appealing read.