This book is stunning.
It’s the heart-wrenching tale of Liesel growing up in Nazi Germany with a foster family. Liesel steals her first book at her brother’s graveside, and from there falls in love with books. The Book Thief is beautiful yet tragic, exploring themes of sacrifice and friendship, all through an unlikely narrator: Death.
The narration choice is what makes this book, technically, fantasy. But if I’m being honest, it’s more accurately an experimental form of historical fiction. Still, I love this book! It’s the number one book that I recommend to people (especially those who aren’t partial to the fantasy genre), and it’s the only book to date that *every* person in my book club enjoyed. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who hasn’t enjoyed this beautiful, haunting novel.
Content: PG-13. It’s a World War II novel, which lends it an inherent darkness. You see tragic beatings and deaths, horrible oppression and racism. But the book doesn’t glorify the violence.
Language: I will note that there are quite a few German swear words in this book.
You can learn more here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19063