Book Review: The Book Thief

I took advantage of a weekend to myself and a snow day yesterday and got to reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

{via}

My friend Trish had recommended this book to me a while back, and I had suggested it at my book club, where it was added to the list of books but was never picked, so I took it upon myself to read it. Especially since the movie came out and I wanted to read it before I saw the movie.

Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:

"It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement. "

I don't even know how to describe this book, other than I really loved it. The first few pages I had trouble getting into it, so if you read it, I suggest trying to get through the first few chapters, where it will read easier.

I think part of a sentence from the book describes itself perfectly, for me:

"the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant"

That is this book. I fell in love with the characters, the stories, the relationships. The perspective that the book is told from is different, and I enjoyed that, too. The only thing that I regret is that I read it in 3 days. I wanted the story to last longer but I couldn't help myself from continuing to read it.

I'm not even sure that I want to see the movie because I'm not sure how it can do this book justice. 

This book is wonderful.
~.~.~.~

And, since today is another snow day/day off from work, I'll be diving into another book...stay tuned! :)