Carrie Says | The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Carrie Says is one of my 2014 resolutions and I'm enjoying it so much! My last review for this series can be found HERE where I read and reviewed The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Next I read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak because of THIS video.

Carrie says: "I cried... a lot whilst reading this."

This book is a written piece of art. 

Narrated by death, The Book Thief is about a girl named Liesel and her life throughout Nazi Germany including an accordion, a family, true friendships and a lot of stolen books.

This beautiful novel is written in an incredibly individual and captivating way. Not only was I in a complete trance whilst reading this book because it is narrated by death, but I adored Markus Zusak's style of writing. Alongside side notes and extra slices of reading delights, The Book Thief is very honest, sweet, but also haunting. With the novel being narrated by death (I really loved this aspect of it!), The Book Thief put a completely different spin on death and I just want to talk about it with someone for a few hours because it's left my thoughts flooded with Liesel and her story, but ultimately a character that I couldn't help but sympathise with: Death.

A QUICK DEFINITION

A perfect book = The Book Thief

Courage appears to be a pertinent theme throughout the novel. From Liesel to her best friend Rudy to her Papa and I suppose, death itself, life in Nazi Germany proves to naturally be a struggle for the characters. Yet, within these dark times, there is such lovely happiness and appreciation for the company of the characters, that this novel makes me feel warm and humbled by Markus Zusak's words!

Despite the sadness that paints parts of Liesel's past, her foster parents and Liesel live a homely life - even if Mama's intentions aren't clear at times. Along with late night reading with her Papa and accordion playing, another character is part of this little family and his and Liesel's relationship is endearing and is defined by two people helping each other. It's a relationship that I don't want to ruin but one that makes me for ever happy.

The Book Thief also has one of my favourite book friendships: Liesel and Rudy. They are childhood friends that grow up knowing each other simultaneously incredibly well and without completely knowing each other. The two of them look out for each other and make memories that make my heart smile.

There was a moment in The Book Thief that I felt like Liesel and I would get on well and it was this: "She ran the back of her hand along the first shelf, listening to the shuffle of her fingernails gliding across the spinal cord of each book." Liesel acted like me in a bookstore!

I'm so excited to pick up the next book for this series as I've loved every book so far!

Accordions & Books,

The Girl in the Moonlight.