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...a beautifully balanced piece of storytelling... Unsettling, thought-provoking, life affirming, triumphant and tragic, this is a novel of breathtaking scope, masterfully told. It is an important piece of work, but also a wonderful page-turner. The Guardian 'It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.
By her brother's graveside, Liesel Meminger’s life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left 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 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 Jew in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up, and closed down. The Book Thief is a story about the power of words and the ability of books to feed the soul. 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.' (www.randomhouse.co.uk) ...this is a weighty novel worthy of universal acclaim...A sense of dread prevades this beautifully written novel...As The Book Thief draws to a close, Death says: '...There's a multitude of stories...that i allow to distract me as I work.' The story of the Book Thief, who tried to change the world in her own small way, proves one formidable and inspiring distraction. Lianne Kolirin Daily Express A tonic much needed amid the ominous menace of an era of such calamity. Alexandra Hamlyn FT Magazine Absorbing and searing Washington Post Brilliant and hugely ambitious New York Times Deserves a place on the shelf with The Diary of Anne Frank…Poised to become a classic USA Today Elegant, philosophical and moving. A work to read slowly and savour. Beautiful and important Kirkus Reviews It wouldn't surprise us if this became a great classic in years to come. Flipside Nine-year-old Liesel is living with a foster family after her parents are taken to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books; her story steals your heart. Tesco Magazine Powerful, original and lingering stuff. And the final line, by the way, is an absolute killer. Gregor White Stirling Observer Raw, deeply moving, immeasurably sad, this book is a must-read. Carousel This is a beautifully written book. It illustrates again the best of teen fiction in telling a tale from another angle, which gives a great deal of food for thought. Sally Bailey Essex Chronice Series This is a stunning work of life and death on a simple street in Nazi Germany...Very impressed The Bookseller Zusak combines his descriptions of the terrible events on 1939 Nazi Germany with such believable characters that it will appeal to adult readers and children alike. The Independent
Zusak's playfulness with language leavens the horror and makes the theme more resonant - words can save your life ...It's a measure of how sucessfully Zusak has humanized these characters that even though we know they are doomed, it's no less devastating when Death finally reaches them Publishers Weekly |
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