Missy chose the book and hosted the meeting.This book received our greatest reviews since reading The Help. We loved the writing style and the unique perspective of Death. We even sympathized and liked Death at times.
Missy reviewed each of the amazingly crafted main characters. Specifically, we noted:
Mama (Rosa) - the growth of her character, she was the glue that held the family
Papa (Hans) - he loved everyone, was a dreamer and sympathetic man
Max - his enduring spirit
Isla - she was saddened over the loss of her son, loved Liesel
Rudy - all boy, faithful to Liesel, giving
Liesel - resilient, haunted, adventurous
We loved all the characters and many had a special fondness for Rudy (Jesse Owens!). We were surprised at how the author chose to have his character die.
The foreshadowing was annoying at times, but it did help to lessen the shock when a character was killed.
We found the power in the words of this author. He had a way of giving us a complete picture with few words. He gave analogies; the use of colors to describe the spirits of the humans or of the day was unique. His description of Hitler's rise using words and scare tactics was powerful. He showed us that not all Germans were bad, that there were sympathizers who happened to be victims as well.
Missy ended the meeting with a question: "Would you hide a Jew in your basement?" Think about it.
Publisher's website: http://www.randomhouse.com/features/markuszusak/
Markus Zusak discusses The Book Thief:
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