Book Review: The Book Thief

World War II. Everyone versus the Germans. Scratch that: Everyone versus the Nazis. I've always wondered about the Germans who disagreed with the Nazi party. I mean, every government that has parties has opposing forces built into it. So what about the Germans who were trapped under a regime that they did not support while the Allies tried to shut down the country by force?

Here is the story of one German girl who does not support the Nazis. She doesn't know exactly why, but she knows that she wants to save as many books she can from the Nazi book-burnings. So she steals them from neighbors. And when the Allied bombing raids reach her city, she reads her stolen books in the neighborhood bomb shelter to any and all who will hear her.

Book Thief is narrated by Death, who provides illuminating commentary on war. He remembers each death and whether or not the dead were treated with respect. I think Death dislikes his wartime job: he doesn't get to spend enough time with the recently released spirits (there is just too much work to do) and he doesn't get to be as gentle.

This book helped shape my perception of war. I have always seen World War II as a war against evil, but our forces also killed innocent civilians in the process. All people, evil or not, are children of God, and we should mourn every single loss as Death does in the book. I find it very hard to pass judgments on people, especially public figures who are made to look "wrong" or "bad," because I know that they are also a son or daughter of my Heavenly Father. We Earthers have a powerful sibling relationship that should not be ignored.