Finished

One of the illustrations from a story within the story

"The Standover Man"

Well, I finished The Book Thief last night.  It was taking me too long to get through so I decided to just sit down and finish it.  And it was excellent.  I don't always find myself crying at the end of novels, but last night I had tears in my eyes in several different spots.  I suppose that's to be expected of a Holocaust novel, but perhaps not what you would expect from one narrated by Death.  Zusak, the author, did an amazing job of capturing the heartbreak of watching a friend march towards a concentration camp among many other dramatic scenes.  I can't really even put it in words.  This was definitely a book I would recommend to anyone looking for an intense and meaningful read.  There is certainly nothing lighthearted about this one, though the narrator does have his moments.

I'll leave you with one particular quote I found interesting:

(As narrated by Death)
"They say that war is death's best friend, but I must offer you a different point of view on that one.  To me, war is like the new boss who expects the impossible.  He stands over your shoulder repeating one thing, incessantly: 'Get it done, get it done.'  So you work harder.  You get the job done.  The boss, however, does not thank you.  He asks for more."  (pg 309)

I thought it an interesting take on war.