“Here is a small fact: You are going to die.”



Though that might sound like the first line of a dismal novel that surrounds the idea of death, don’t be scared off. Though The Book Thief does talk an awful lot about morality (the story is told from the perspective of Death himself) Markus Zusak dives into the subject from a creative angle that will amuse you from the first page until the final chapter.

Throughout the book, Death gives us eyes into his world of soul-snatching, and his feelings towards the humans that escape him. He guides us through the life of one certain survivor, a girl who he calls the book thief. Death has given her this name because every time he has seen her, he has watched her sneakily steal a book.

If you want to learn more about this young thief and why she steals books, you’ll have to read the story for yourself. But, I can tell you why this novel deserves your time; the style of writing and voice of the narrator is something I have never experienced before. The great imagination that this book has given to the simple idea of life and death will astonish you. Zusak has a real treasure on his hands, that’s for sure, and I’m so glad that he chose to share it with our generation of readers. Please, go pick up a copy of The Book Thief at a local bookstore. I promise it will be a great addition to your shelf.


I would hurry, if I were you. In this circumstance, you won’t want to keep Death waiting.