The Book Thief | Book Review

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The Book Thief is my third read of the year. It’s a book that I had in my mind for so long, and as I expected, it became an instant fav of mine as I couldn’t stop wandering in the pages once I started reading.

Set during World War II, The Book Thief stands out distinctly from other war-based novels I’ve read. I guess, it’s mainly because of how the book subtly bring that aspect into the narrative. In the foreground, it follows the life of a young girl named Liesel, however, if you can see through what is happening in the background, the story paints a broader picture of a country in turmoil and the quiet suffering of its people.

What makes this book even more unique is its poetic, almost cryptic narrative style—it draws you in, confuses you, and pushes you to read faster just to grasp the full meaning. Its foreshadowing is indeed cruel; the heartbreaking realities I was not prepared for were hinted at early on, making me dread the approaching chapters. I wasn’t ready to face those moments—especially not so soon, but the cruel foreshadowing only made me more keen to figure out what would exactly happen soon.

The most intriguing elements, I would say, is the choice of narrator: Death. Surprisingly, Death comes across as more human, innocent, and even humorous than many of the actual people in the story. This unusual perspective makes the ending even more thought-provoking. I could not stop but stuck at the death’s final comment; “I (death) am haunted by humans.” It's a reminder that it's not death we should fear, but the inhumanity people are capable of.

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