"The Book Thief"

    Three years ago, my granddaughter, Erika, told me about this book.  She thought that it was the best book that she had read because of the excellent language.
  Set in Germany during the Second World War, this story is about a girl whose family decided to hide a Jewish man in their basement. 
   I decided to buy the book but it sat on my shelf  until this week.  I have suggested it for one of my book clubs and now I have to prepare to lead the discussion.
   
   The novel is full of foreshadowing and Erika disliked that.  I also felt that it was annoying at the beginning, but after awhile, I felt that it was 'endearing'.  Yes, that is the word that I want.  It seems to add to the quirkiness of the book.  And it is quirky!  With death as the narrator, how can it be anything else? But it's written for teens and I think it works for youth fiction.

  The author, Markus Zusak, lives in Australia.  I think it's important to notice that his mother was from Germany and his father was born in Austria.
  Zusak has written 6 books.  "The Book Thief" was published in 2005 and has been translated into more than 30 languages.  It was made into a film in 2013.  This movie is available from our local library, but the book is so emotional that I am not anxious to see the movie. Too sad!
  This really is a spectacular book!  It showed so clearly the worst of humanity and the best of humanity.  And, of course, the setting is real- Germany, beginning in 1939.
  The title reflects the main theme of this novel: books, the importance of words.
  Human nature and the importance of words.  Can it get any better than that?  I am looking forward to this discussion!