** spoiler alert ** 
 When I picked this book up, I thought it was just about WWII and a little girl, the truly fascinating part of this book was that the narrator was Death itself and I should have known that it would not end well. 
 The story starts with Liesel Meminger, a German girl in the 1940s who is being given away by her mother because she cannot afford to keep her anymore. They take a perilous journey to their new home during which her younger brother dies. During his burial, Liesel manages to steal a copy of a book that the grave digger had. This is her first steal and the moment Liesel caught Death's eye. 
 Her mother drops her off at her new home with an elderly couple whom Liesel learns to consider her parents. Rosa, a stern yet loving woman, and Hans, a sweet gentle soul who's tender heart causes the tension in the story. 
 Because of an oath Hans made during WWI, their household becomes a refuge for an escaping Jew. Liesel already distrustful of authority, bonds with the Jew and she questions German laws and their repression of a man like this Jew. Liesel, being the mature girl that she is and understanding the consequences of anyone knowing about their Jewish guest makes sure to keep her new family's secret, even from her best friend and would be love interest Rudy. 
 Rudy, who is a few years older than her, is in love with Liesel. Together they get into all sorts of mischief. Rudy who has a very large family is part of the block Hans and Rosa live in. Its composed of big families and a tight knit community of very poor Germans. One day the opportunity to steal another book presents itself and Liesel takes it. She steals a book from a pyre started by the government who was attempting to destroy all anti Nazi propaganda. 
 What I love about Liesel is that she understood the value of books, even though she could not read. Hans, who had limited reading ability himself helps Liesel read the books she steals, and together they learned to be read well. One day Liesel discovers that one of the women, Ilsa, that Rosa does laundry for has a massive library of books. The opportunity presents itself and once again Liesel steals. She steals books from Ilsa several times, on a few occasion with Rudy's help. 
 The last few chapters of the book see the killing of everyone from the neighborhood by American and British bombers. Hans and Rosa die in their sleep as does Rudy and his whole family. Death's description of their last moments is chilling and warming all at once. Liesel survives through sheer dumb luck and Ilsa, whom Liesel had fought with just a day before, takes her in. 
 Death then recounts how Liesel managed to live a very long time after that day and how just recently he was able to take her as well. To me the book held an interesting perspective because the characters were all Germans. A lot of them were Nazis for fear of death and they were just people. Most of them did not participate in the atrocities of the more extreme members of the Nazi party, but they had to be compliant to survive. Their small defiances may have been what made them live with the lives they had to live, but those small acts were not retold in history and I think its important to note that when a country is at war, not every person from that country is proud or supportive of what the country is doing. It was well written book and as depressing as it was, I did enjoy the read.