The Book ThiefThe Book Thief
Score Modern
What it's about
Germany, 1939. Liesel Meminger is nine when she's sent to live with foster parents on Himmel Street outside Munich, and at her brother's graveside she steals her first book. Her gentle, accordion-playing foster father teaches her to read, and soon she's stealing books from Nazi bonfires and the mayor's library, sharing them with neighbors in bomb shelters and with the Jewish man her family is hiding in their basement. The story is narrated by Death, who is very busy in these years.
Why it's worth reading
It's a story about the power of words in a time when words were being used to destroy, and it's told with such warmth and strangeness that it stays with readers for life. Few books make so many people cry, in a good way.
You'll love it if you liked
All the Light We Cannot See
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Little WomenGood to know
The narrator gives away some of what's coming early on, on purpose, and it makes the ending hit harder, not softer. It's often shelved as young adult, but it's read and loved by adults just as much.
By the numbers
- Readers95 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller86 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz100 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #2 of the 219 young adult books we rank
- #3 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #8 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #16 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Quick answers
Is The Book Thief worth reading?
Yes. It's a story about the power of words in a time when words were being used to destroy, and it's told with such warmth and strangeness that it stays with readers for life. It ranks #16 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 92.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Book Thief about?
Germany, 1939. Liesel Meminger is nine when she's sent to live with foster parents on Himmel Street outside Munich, and at her brother's graveside she steals her first book. Her gentle, accordion-playing foster father teaches her to read, and soon she's stealing books from Nazi bonfires and the mayor's library, sharing them with neighbors in bomb shelters and with the Jewish man her family is hiding in their basement. The story is narrated by Death, who is very busy in these years.
How long does it take to read The Book Thief?
About 14 hours (552 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Book Thief?
If you liked it, try All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith or Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.