The Book Thief

 
It's a while since I've posted about books I've read. Not that I'm not reading any more, but on a day-to-day basis, I have to say I read a lot less than I used to. One of the reasons for that is that I spend more time on Flipboard on the iPad, reading bits of articles from various sources (Elle magazine, The Guardian, The New Yorker, The Sartorialist and The National Geographic are my favourites of the moment).

But a book I just finished is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. The story is set in Germany during World War II and is narrated by Death. That sounds grim, doesn't it? Well, it is, but it's also quite magical. It's a lovely story that takes you by the hand from the start. And it's told from an interesting perspective. Yes, Death was very busy during those years, but that didn't stop it from becoming interested in the story of a young girl, Liesel, who is on her way to a foster family, along with her mother and brother. With plenty of quirky asides, Death tells a good story. Yes some of the characters are a bit stereotypical - Rosa, Liesel's foster mother, is fat and angry and loud, and also loving and warm-hearted.

But you'll laugh and you'll cry. What more can you want from a book?

I've found this book-review blog, just in case you want more in-depth analysis!