The Book Thief, one of the most intriguing novels I have read. It is beautifully written and narrated by death himself. Markus Zusak did a great job with this piece of literature.

Set during World War II this is the story of a young girl Liesel Meminger, who as the title implies, is a book thief. Going through poverty and hardship her mother puts her in a foster home where her new life journey begins. She forms new relationships with her foster parents, her neighbours and her school friends. Then the forbidden friendship between a Jew and Germans begins.

Zusak was inspired to write this novel by two events that were told to him by his German grandparents. One was the bombing of Munich and the other was when a young German boy gave a piece of bread to a Jewish prisoner, both were then punished by a soldier who whipped them both.

The novel makes you feel emotions of guilt at the plight of the Jewish and German people; the constant theme of death is sorrowful, small moments of childhood happiness makes you smile and the innocence of youth is ever present

There are many books that I have read but unable to keep my attention, but this is one book where you read it and straight away get into the story of the young girl. The clever use of death as a narrator also adds to the mystery of the story and the whole ambience

A must read for everyone!