Book Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
by The Book Pup on October 29, 2025
Blurb for the book (on Goodreads):
It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still.
By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.
But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up, and closed down.
In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.
(Note: this title was not published as YA fiction)
My Summary:
Set in Nazi Germany during World War II, The Book Thief, a young girl Liesel, goes to live with foster parents Hans and Rosa Hubermann. As the war rages around them, Liesel discovers the power of words and books, even as the world around her becomes increasingly dangerous.
Narrated by Death, the story shows us Liesel's journey as she steals books, learns to read, and finds moments of beauty and connection amidst the horrors of war. When her family hides a Jewish man named Max in their basement, Liesel's world becomes even more complicated and dangerous.
This is a story about the power of words, the bonds of family (both blood and chosen), and finding hope in the darkest of times.
Disclaimer: This is a negative review of 'The Book Thief'. If you loved this book or prefer to avoid critical takes on books in general, feel free to skip this review! 💕🐾
My Review (Non-Spoiler)
I picked up The Book Thief because of all the hype surrounding it. Everyone talks about how beautiful and moving it is, how it's this amazing piece of historical fiction that will change your life. Now... I honestly don't understand what I was supposed to be feeling.
Don't get me wrong—Zusak's writing is undeniably beautiful. There are passages that are genuinely gorgeous, and Death as a narrator is an interesting choice that definitely broke writing trends.
But here's the thing: this book is just... so incredibly sad. And not in a meaningful way that left me feeling like I'd learned something important. It felt more like misery for the sake of misery. There's so much death, so much suffering, and by the end I just felt emotionally drained rather than moved.
I kept waiting for the moments that would make all the sadness worth it, the revelations or connections that would make me understand why this story needed to be told this way. But those moments never really came for me. Instead, it felt like I was being put through an emotional wringer without much payoff.
I can see why some people love this book—the writing is beautiful, and if you connect with the characters more than I did, their losses would probably hit much harder. But for me, it just felt disappointing after all the glowing recommendations.
1.5/5 pawprints 🐾🌟
You can find the book on Goodreads here!
Spoiler Review (⚠️ Warning: this includes spoilers to those who haven't read The Book Thief ⚠️)
Okay, let me explain why this book didn't work for me, because I know I'm probably in the minority here.
The book started off with Death taking her brother, then Liesel leaving her mother. By the end of the book, basically everyone Liesel cares about is dead. Hans, Rosa, and Rudy. And yes, I understand this is a book about World War II, and terrible things happened during the war. But it felt like this book was just piling tragedy on top of tragedy without giving me enough reasons to be emotionally invested in these characters first.
Rudy's death especially felt cruel. The whole book builds up this sweet friendship/potential romance between him and Liesel, and then he's just... gone. And I'm supposed to feel devastated about it, but honestly? I felt more frustrated than sad. It felt like emotional manipulation rather than a natural, meaningful part of the story.
I can appreciate what Zusak was trying to do—show how ordinary people found humanity and connection during inhumane times. But for me, the execution just didn't match the ambition. The sadness felt gratuitous rather than meaningful.
I know this is an unpopular opinion, and I can see why others love it. But I just didn't connect with it the way I'd hoped to.
1.5/5 pawprints 🐾🌟
You can find the book on Goodreads here!
Thanks for reading!
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