Admittedly, this is not a novel purely about the Holocaust (although it is certainly a background aspect at the very minimum), but I feel it is such an excellent piece of work I wanted it to share it here.
'The Book Thief' is set in Nazi Germany, in a small town outside Munich. It is narrated by Death itself, who is quick to state how busy it was during those dark times. The main protagonist, however, is a young girl named Liesel, who, amongst other things, steals books. Hard times have fallen on her because of the Nazis, but initially naive to this, she attends Nazi Youth meetings and parades like all the other children in the area.
The book also focuses somewhat on a German Jew, Max, hiding from his would-be captors. The two characters come together in the book, and what follows is a story both moving and heart-rendering.
I do not wish to give too much away, of course, but there are many different themes and historical times covered in this book: the Allied bombings; Dachau; celebrations of the Fuhrer's birthday; anti-Semitism, and so on. The fact that it has been chosen to be told through the eyes of Death also brings a very interesting element to the storyline.
Normally I do not read fiction concerning the Holocaust, as I much prefer to read survivors' memoirs and historical books on the subject. This book, however, has so much depth to it, you would be mistaken for believing it was all true. It points out the flaws in all humanity, and just how the power of words could persuade a civilised, developed country to create and indulge in a wave of anti-Semitism and persecution. If you read just one book before the end of the year, I highly recommend this one.
Recommended for...
Just about anyone! Those with a creative flair will also appreciate the poetic, flowing nature of the prose.
