Mom's Reading Corner- brought to you by a glass of water
I only read one book this week but it was pretty long- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
This book was engaging, sad, and full of humanities worst and greatest moments. I got into the book right away and then it felt slightly dragging during the last quarter of it.
Lisel steals books. In the end, it saves her. Books and words become her life. I sadly felt she was a little flat on her own. It was only because of her relationships did I feel her fully. It seemed when she was alone she was very rough and hard to take. Her relationship with her foster father- Hans Hubermann is not short of amazing and touching. Rudy is her school friend who is crazy and fun. Max is the Jew the family hides in their basement and gives her books he writes himself as gifts. Let me not forget Rosa and Ilsa- her foster mama and the woman who lets her "steal" books from her.
These characters are all about to suffer. You can tell because Death is the narrator and he does quite a bit of foreshadowing. They all learn how in war there are basically no winners.
The plot is driven during the height of World War II. Lisel's mom must send her and her brother away to live in a safer place but her brother dies on the train. Lisel steals her first book- The Grave Digger's Handbook and ironically she can't read. We don't know for sure why she steals it but I think it is because it feels like it is a part of her brother. When Lisel arrives at the Hubermann's she continually has nightmares from her brother's death. Hans is always there for her. School is obviously hard because she doesn't know how to read. Hans discovers the book Lisel stole and they read together and it helps her cope with the nights. Rudy befriends her. Rosa continually insults but basically that is how she is and we learn to love her for it. Death shifts the viewpoint around so we meet neighbors and we learn about the different levels of devotion to the Nazi Party and especially German words. Max is the son of a man who was friends with Hans during the Great War. Max is a Jew and Hans hides him in the basement.
Themes: the power of words, humanity (good and evil), courage, and loyalty Symbols: Hans' accordion, books, feathers, hair, and colors
The ending was sad and touching. I was moved though it dragged on so that I didn't really cry and I am usually a big crier.
I am sure someone has asked the author this but I am curious about the books Lisel steals and reads to comfort people in the bunker- Are they real? And was all the German cursing necessary for realism?
This book does give me an ultimate hope for the goodness in people even in hard times. It reminds us of a horrible time in history that we must never forget the sacrifices and the courage to stand up even when everyone is going a different way.
This book was engaging, sad, and full of humanities worst and greatest moments. I got into the book right away and then it felt slightly dragging during the last quarter of it.
Lisel steals books. In the end, it saves her. Books and words become her life. I sadly felt she was a little flat on her own. It was only because of her relationships did I feel her fully. It seemed when she was alone she was very rough and hard to take. Her relationship with her foster father- Hans Hubermann is not short of amazing and touching. Rudy is her school friend who is crazy and fun. Max is the Jew the family hides in their basement and gives her books he writes himself as gifts. Let me not forget Rosa and Ilsa- her foster mama and the woman who lets her "steal" books from her.
These characters are all about to suffer. You can tell because Death is the narrator and he does quite a bit of foreshadowing. They all learn how in war there are basically no winners.
The plot is driven during the height of World War II. Lisel's mom must send her and her brother away to live in a safer place but her brother dies on the train. Lisel steals her first book- The Grave Digger's Handbook and ironically she can't read. We don't know for sure why she steals it but I think it is because it feels like it is a part of her brother. When Lisel arrives at the Hubermann's she continually has nightmares from her brother's death. Hans is always there for her. School is obviously hard because she doesn't know how to read. Hans discovers the book Lisel stole and they read together and it helps her cope with the nights. Rudy befriends her. Rosa continually insults but basically that is how she is and we learn to love her for it. Death shifts the viewpoint around so we meet neighbors and we learn about the different levels of devotion to the Nazi Party and especially German words. Max is the son of a man who was friends with Hans during the Great War. Max is a Jew and Hans hides him in the basement.
Themes: the power of words, humanity (good and evil), courage, and loyalty Symbols: Hans' accordion, books, feathers, hair, and colors
The ending was sad and touching. I was moved though it dragged on so that I didn't really cry and I am usually a big crier.
I am sure someone has asked the author this but I am curious about the books Lisel steals and reads to comfort people in the bunker- Are they real? And was all the German cursing necessary for realism?
This book does give me an ultimate hope for the goodness in people even in hard times. It reminds us of a horrible time in history that we must never forget the sacrifices and the courage to stand up even when everyone is going a different way.
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