It was only recently when I re-read The Book Thief that I remembered my love for this book. I applied for the fanlisting at The Fanlistings without any hesitation at all, and I was extremely happy when I got approved for it. It was added to the network on the July 4, 2008 under the Literature category. On March 1, 2014, it was approved for and listed under the Movies category. Thank you, staff!
NOTE: written circa 2008 (read: in dire need of a rewrite, heh).
What to say about this novel? At the risk of sounding cheesy: It's life-changing. It's heartbreaking. The story immerses me in a nitty gritty reality with each read. Characters shine—even the worst of the lot. Every character that I met I fell in love with, whether it was the relationship they held with the main character, or their personalities. The moments before the climax of the novel were created wonderfully, allowing readers to get some background on the war from the best source possible: Death. How often have people studied the Holocaust with the Jews' suffering in mind? The Book Thief shines light on the untold suffering of the Germans—those who were caught in the cross-fire. The Jews were victims, yes, but the Germans were too.
I have never shed more tears, laughed out loud, and smiled in any book that I have ever read. Even now I cry at the same parts, laugh at the same parts. I can never choose one character as my favorite, as I love them all the same. There is so much emotion in The Book Thief even though it's written in, quite possibly, one of the most simplistic ways possible. Even with simple language it retains a poetic nature.
At the end I always feel like I've read someone's life story and, although it probably sounds crazy, I learn to live. To create such memorable and happy moments in a time of war and destruction... that's a beautiful thing. And The Book Thief goes a long way to show that.