The Book Thief

*No Spoilers*

Most books seem perfect within the first day or so since completing it. It’s the same with movies. However, deciding if a movie or book is good should be done a few days after reading or watching it. Good books do exist. Those books that bring you close to tears, there’s something special about them. However, very rarely, you come across books that actually make you cry. Certain movies also have a similar effect on people. They don’t just make you feel like the world is crashing to the ground. They don’t just make it difficult to talk. Some movies and books actually make you cry, make your eyes and face burn from the tears. Such movies and books are rare. But they do exist.

Marcus Zusak’s Book Thief is a movie that left me in tears. The style adopted by the author made the characters real and easy to relate to. Here were two kids who annoyed each other, who explored life together and who loved each other. The boy with the hair the color of lemons, from the moment he demands that kiss, makes us fall in love with him. He’s that typical kid who thinks he knows it all, even though he clearly doesn’t. We smile at his childlike ways, even though, finally, he brings us to tears.

Liesel Meminger is however the one we see the most of; after all, she is the book thief. From the Gravedigger’s Handbook to the many other books she steals, Liesel has a thirst for words. She was adopted by Hans and Rosa, who love her and guide her. Hans and Liesel immediately get along. He reads to her, teaches her words. Rosa on the other hand, swears and insults everyone around her. Yet, throughout the novel, there are moments when we realize she loves Hans. And most of all, she loves Liesel.

Another important character we meet during the journey Zusak takes us is Max. He is young, scared, trying to escape death. The friendship between Max and Liesel teaches the girl a lot about life, it teaches the young man a lot about love and it teaches the reader a lot about life, love, understanding, forgiveness. It teaches us how to be human.

However, the voice we here the most is that of Death. Zusak’s novels makes us, for once, take Death’s side. We don’t love him, nor do we hate him. We don’t fear him either. We begin to understand death.

As someone who has actually cried after reading a book, I was quite surprised when I cried for Book Thief. I was even more surprised when I cried each and every time I reread the novel. If I ever meet Zusak, I will thank him. Thank him for writing such an amazingly beautiful and honest novel. For telling me that love will always survive. That words will keep you alive.

When the movie was released, I was at first excited. Then I was given the movie and told it was a slight disappointment. At first I didn’t want to watch it, something I now realize, I would have ended up regretting. First of all, Book Thief is an amazing movie whether you have read the book or not. Reading the book means you realize there are many scenes not included in the movie. However, this doesn’t mean the movie-watcher misses anything.

Of course the characters lack something. They all are what Zusak portrayed them to be, and yet, they just aren’t the same Liesel, Hans, Rosa and Rudy we read about. I loved the fact that they spoke with, what I assume is, a German accent, and that, certain words were in German. It would have been better if the movie was entirely in German, however, this could have displeased those who dislike subtitles.

I was warned against Death’s voice. We hear less of it when compared with the novel. However, this is understandable. The issue with Death’s voice is its age. Roger Allam, who gives Death a voice, is 60 years old. However, do we not always try to romanticize death? We want death, as a character, to be handsome and young. However, in the Book Thief, Death is tired. Death is old. Death is dying.

The one thing I would love changed would be the final words of Rudy. I wish he never said them. However, his words don’t, in anyway, make the movie a pale comparison to the novel.

The Book Thief is a must read novel. No one else could have written it better. It’s a simple story. It’s a chance for the Book Thief to tell her story. Most of all, it’s a chance for Death to make us understand. To make us forgive.