With all the Holocaust-themed stories out there, it can be hard to find one that stands out above all the others for portraying not just the horrors, but the humanity, and from the perspective of a German instead of a Jew. The Book Thief manages this spectacularly, as we follow Liesel Meminger from her trip to her new foster parents' home and through her adolescence, with her story told by the one person who has seen it all: Death. It could be gimmicky, but it works very well; Death has affected Liesel's life so many times that he can't help watching her. There are no characters who are not fully-realized; even minor, background characters are given enough dimension to be real people. This is a truly amazing story that captures the day-to-day-ness of the lives that continue even in the midst of a war.