Book number 18 of 20 for my 30 before 30 list – so close! The Book Thief by Markus Zusak has definitely been on my list a while and I made sure to not see the movie first. And I’m glad I didn’t.

There have been plenty of stories – both fiction and nonfiction – from WWII with accounts of the Holocaust and war.  And although it’s probably not the first, this was the first one I have read/seen of a German who was not Nazi and did not agree with the party’s beliefs or actions.  The story is told from a very interesting perspective, though. You discover quickly from the start of the book that the narrator is Death.  The main character is a young girl – the book thief – who has no way of understanding what is happening around her. She has had a tough childhood, which haunts her in her dreams but she forms some incredible relationships who help her cope with her past and help her grow into a strong young woman. This is the story of the book thief and her relationships.

I highly recommend it! And now I can see the movie!