The Book Thief | Book Review

I have just finished the book. I really did just close the book. Maybe I should've wait for the story to sink in before writing a review like I usually do, but this time I can't. I. Just. Have. To. Talk. About. It. Immediately.

Before you continue, I have to warn you; this review contains major spoiler. I repeat, MAJOR SPOILER ALERT.  I already put the warning in bold, red color, and underlined. So if you keep on reading, don't blame me for ruining your experience reading the book. This review is intended for those who have read the book and want to see my take on it.

Just to be sure...

MAJOR SPOILER ALERT!

Alright.

So,
damn. That's the word I'd use if I only have to describe this book in one word. Damn.

Honestly, I think The Book Thief could ended up boring if it wasn't written this way. And it's a huge compliment. For the writer to turn The Book Thief into one of the most compelling stories I've read, it amazes me. It's basically a life story of a german girl throughout the Nazi Germany, but not really about the war. Just the girl, and her neighbours. However, the way it's written, the way the author chose to spoil (part of) the ending halfway, the fact that the story was narrated by death (how brilliant is that?!), and a lot of other little things that I can't even explain, make this novel truthfully compelling. No wonder it stole hearts of the readers. It sure is stole mine.

The first major pang I felt was when the narrator (a.k.a the death) told us Rudy Steiner didn't deserve to die the way he did. Out of the blue. Only halfway throughout the book. When everything still fine. When Rudy was still a boy full of life asking (over and over again) for the book thief's kiss. I stopped at the announcement of Rudy's fate that will inevitably happened at the end of the story. I couldn't believe it. The writer has just spoiled his own story. It was rude. Truly, terribly rude. I mean, Rudy is my favorite character!

Everyone is my favorite character.

It's true. Even Frau Holtzapfel. Or Pfiffikus. But not Viktor Chemmel. And definitely not Hitler (duh?). Hans Hubermann was my most beloved one, so you can imagine how broken hearted I was when the death explained how he took Hubermann's soul at the end.

Because I was too focus worrying about Rudy, I didn't expect the ending. The death announced Rudy's fate which broke my heart, and if I'm not wrong, he talked briefly about Hans Hubermann's death earlier in the book (I haven't yet emotionally attached to the character so I'm not so sure). So I prepared myself for the death of one or two main characters. Only towards the end that the writer decided to offer a glimpse of what will actually happened. I didn't prepare for the death of everyone.

I didn't expect for Liesel to be the sole survivor of Himmel Street.

Damn.

I don't know if this makes me a bad person, but I feel kinda glad that Rudy didn't die alone. When the death said that Himmel Street will be bombed and everyone died, I thought 'oh, so that's how Rudy will go. Not because of his stupid yet admirable act or because he was sent to war.' When it's said that he was asleep with his sister when he died, I felt relieved a little. It's all because I braced myself for the worst thing. I almost had a heart attack when Rudy went after the bomber pilot and Liesel went after him. Since he had to die, I thought there isn't a better way than being among your loved ones, no?

It was Liesel who suffered the most.

I mean, the girl saw her brother died, been through a lot, and then had to see everyone she loved died at the same time? Goddamn. I had no idea how she managed to move on, had a family, and died of old age. It must had something to do with Max, and being halfway across the world from Germany.

What happened to Himmel Street was terrible, no doubt, but somehow, the writer made the ending less tragic than it could've been. I personally think Zusak intended to dial down the despair. For that, I forgive him for spoiling Rudy's death.

In the beginning, I thought The Book Thief was gonna be about hope, or something like that. Turns out--correct me if I'm wrong--it's more about the power of words. How when it's used by the wrong people, it could lead to something beyond terrible. Like Hitler did. Whilst when it's used with good intention, it could save people like what Liesel did in the shelter. Or when writing actually did save her.

Moral of the story: words is the most powerful tool imaginable.

"The best word shakers were the ones who understood the true power of words. They were the ones who could climb the highest." - Markus Zusak, a.k.a the death.

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The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Good Reads: 4,36/5
Book-Bosomed: 5 stars out of 5