John's Book Thief Post

In The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, Liesel Meminger becomes the book thief. Her biological mother decides it is best for her kids if they live with foster parents. She brings them to a town called Molching. On the way, Liesel’s brother, Werner, dies on the train. Liesel steels her first book at her brother’s grave site. Liesel is left alone on Himmel street with her foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann. At first Liesel resists her new parents, but in time, however, she grows very close to them. She grows especially close to Hans who teaches her how to read. Liesel makes new friends, and very good one named Rudy Steiner. With Rudy, Liesel steels several books form the mayor’s wife’s library.
Nazi Germany is growing stronger as a community during World War 2; more and more citizens are following in the footsteps of Adolf Hitler. Jews are forced to hide, or to march to their death. During the middle of the story an old friend’s of Han’s son, Max Vandenburg, comes looking for a place to hide from the Nazi’s. Hans and Rosa decide to take him in. They all like Max, but Liesel loves spending time with him more than anyone else. They grow closer together, because they both love to read. When Hans makes the horrible mistake of giving bread to a Jew, he gets sent away to work for the army. He makes it home, but Max is forced to leave for his own safety. Eventually Max gets caught and marches down to concentration camp.
In the end, everyone on Himmel street dies, including Liesel’s best friends such as Rosa and Hans Hubermann, as well as Rudy Steiner. Liesel stands on Himmel street as death’s presence surrounds her, trapping her in a world of disbelief, fear, and most of all, shock. Death’s presence only worsens as Liesel finds people close to her, all dead. The mayor’s wife, who Liesel grew to be good friends with, is alive and takes her into stay with her and her husband. In the very end, Liesel meets up with Max, and she feels a little bit better. Liesel lives a while longer until death takes her soul as he did to so many others.