What did I like most about this book??? Hmmmm... I dont want to minimize what happened to the Jewish people by any means. It was horrific and disgraceful. But I enjoyed reading this book because it reminded me that not all Germans agreed with Hitler. It was almost refreshing to see how some Germans were victims of the Nazis as well. They were put on little rations and if you werent a memeber of the Nazi party you were an outcast and it was next to impossible to find work. Some were brave enough to help the Jews as best as they could. I would like to think that I would be numbered among those standing up to Hitler and his inhuman treatment of people, but as a mother I can honestly say that if joining the Nazi party meant I could feed my children then I would probably join... even if I hated the very thought of it. These people had familes too and Hitler put them in a horrid situation; Support my insanity or your family suffers and dies.
Germans also suffered because we bombed them. In the book it describes several bombings. People huddled together in basements praying for survival and when they emerged all the found was ruined homes and death. Innocent people died because we, the Good Guys, bombed them. I dont think that could have been avoided because Germany was in the grips of Hitler and his mind boggling cruelty, but it just reenforced my belief that War is digusting and filled with victims. There is so much grey in war... who are the winners, who are the losers? I think we all lose.
Markus Zusak was able to hold my attention to the end of the book, despite the tragic nature of the book. His writing style has also grabbed my attention and I have requested another one of his books from the library to see if all his books bare this same style or if he reserved it for the Book Thief. Im excited to read I am the Messenger!
