Customer Reviews
** A 'Must Read' **' - By: Megladite, 06 Jan 2009 
If you cried at Time Traveller's Wife or sobbed at the Notebook this one is for you.
I remember reading through the tears! You know its a good one when the words swim & you get annoyed that you cannot read any more.
Beautiful story told by a very human-like Death, you may know what's coming but you still are shocked when it happens. Well written & absorbing. You will be buying this book for your relatives & friends just like the Time Traveller's Wife.
Just Amazing - By: Ms. Amy Boyce, 06 Jan 2009 I will not go into the ins & outs of the plot, many many of the other reviewers here can do that for you. I just had to write what I thought of this, I got this as a Christmas present from my father who couldn't understand why I wanted it... I was a bit unsure myself. Suffice to say I am so glad I got it. I have read many war/holocaust novels that have made me think but this one was/is incredible. I have laughed & sobbed through it. I truly think that everybody should read it. The characters of Liesel, Hans, Rudy Max & all of the others come off the page with such intensity that I could not put it down. It is not a happy story, it is not meant to be - but there is an element of triumph amongst all of the tragedy. The writing is fantastic, I loved the way Zusak put it together, the words & the form are such that you cannot rest but to finish it. I didn't want to finish itin some ways, you are led unremittingly towards the end with very little choice.
I put it back on my shelf when I finished it just now where it will rest momentarily before I pass it on to the next unsuspecting reader I can find.
Average story but very original format. - By: noggy1810, 02 Jan 2009 
While I enjoyed this novel I felt that beyond its unique structure it was not as brilliant as previous reviewers. The narrator is the Grim Reaper(Death) & he tells us who dies & the endings before telling us the details of the story, a quirky aspect I enjoyed. It is very accessible with short snappy chapters, an interesting look at ordinary decent Germans during WW2 & for a book which addresses the holocaust is not overly sentimental like most novels dealing with the issue. I would recommend without question but don't expect to be reading your all time favorite.
An endearing tale... - By: EH Heskin, 02 Jan 2009 The book thief is a beautiful story, you are drawn into little Leisel's life with her Mama & Papa. Her love of books & her new family grows as she does. The narration by death of this girls life is sometimes sad, funny & always touching.
A must read book!
An utterly amazing book - one of the best - By: Keran J. Dobson, 31 Dec 2008 I was a bit sceptical of this book at first & thought of it to be very unsettling butin the end it became my favourite of the many I have read. In some parts I laughed &in others I weeped but it came out tops overall.
The book is narrated by Death who comments a lotin the book & expainsin a cold & sometimes warm heart what he is doing & what is happening. Leisel is a young german girl who has had a traumatic life and, after witnessing her own brother's death, is sent to a foster family clutching a book, "The grave digger's manual" she foundin the snowin her hand. It starts off with her character being a weak little girl but then shows how the Nazi influenced germany shapes her life & she flourishes into a strong willed young lady with a loving family & friends & a passionate love for books. Her foster family then take on a jew named Max & hide himin the basement. Now all hell breaks loose as her foster father is seen passing bread to the marching jewsin the street. As Max is a constant threat & danger to their lives, Liesel loves him as a brother & shares her love for books with him as they go on a terrifing journey through world war 2. The ending resultedin many tears as it has an awful & then happy outcome but that was expected really.
The book opens your eyes to the germans' view points during the war & how most of them strongly dissagread with everything but could not stop itin fear of losing their's, & other's, lives. A heart-breaking yet incredible books that is definately 1stin my Top Ten list.
Highly recommended.
