Summer Assignment, Post 4

Finally done. Hour after hour, page after page and I've finally finished. I’m not saying the book was bad just long. I mean the book, The Book Thief for any one just joining us, could easy be separated in to two, maybe three other books, but, no, the author keeps all together making it a very, very long read. The ending is sad for those who don’t read the epilogue (I, for one, did) and the whole reason I picked this book to begin with was to finish what a started. I once tried to read this book, gave up after the first chapter, it was just to intimidating, but now that I have broken through, I can see some life lessons coming through as well. Most of them, I must admit, I ether ignored or they simple went over my head, but the one that hit home the most was the fact the Liesel never gave up on the books. Even when the world was crumbling around her, she still trusted in the books. She even says; “I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I made them right.” She says this during an air raid. Now at first this made no sense to me, ‘why on earth is she worried about the words, run for cover all ready?’  Now that the book has finished I can see that she wasn't worried about the words, she wanted to know that she did the justice. She wanted to know that she read what the authors set out to do.  I all ways try to do the same thing. Why was this book written, to make me laugh, then let yourself chuckle,

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes long, emotional books. I would keep this book a way from anyone who doesn't like to think when they read. And remember, keep going, don’t give up, you won’t regret it. Hope you enjoyed    

Summer Assignment, Post 3

Hello and welcome back to the Book Thief by Markus Zusak.  Book has been hard going but, finally, the end is in sight. I mean really this book is a long one but it’s been a good read so far. But, alas, we are not here to hear about my efforts in this book, but to have you embark on a similar journey into the folds of the book (by the way, that was easy the coolest sentence I have ever written). So let’s get started.

This passage is from a section of the book where Liesel and Ruby, one of her friends, are breaking into the mayor’s house to steal a book that belongs to the mayor’s wife, who, in Liesel option, is not worthy to have it. Rudy how ever has never heard of the book or the mayor wife, just thinks that Liesel is here to steal something of worth, to sell or eat. Hope you enjoy.

“They scouted the street and crossed the yard silently. Now they were crouched beneath the slit in the window on the ground floor. The sound of their breathing amplified.

‘Here,” Rudy said, ‘give me your shoes. You’ll be quieter.’

Liesel breaking in the the Mayor's house

Without complaint, Liesel undid the worn black laces and left the shoes on the ground. She rose up and Rudy gently opened the window just wide enough for Liesel to climb through. The noise of it passed overhead, like a low-flying plane.  Liesel heaved herself onto the ledge and tussled her way inside. Taking off her shoes, she realized, was a brilliant idea, as she landed mush heavier on the wooden floor then she anticipated. The soles of her feet expanded in that painful way, rising to the inside edges of her socks.

The room itself was as it always was.

Liesel, in the dusty dimness, shrugged off her feelings of nostalgia. She crept forward and allowed her eyes to adjust.

‘What’s going on?’ Rudy whispered sharply from the outside, but she waved him a backhander the meant Halt’s Maul. Keep Quiet.

‘The food,’ he reminded her. ‘Find the food. And Cigarettes, if you can.’

Both items, however, were the last things on her mind. She was home, among the mayor’s books of every color and description, with their silver and gold lettering. She could smell the pages. She could almost taste the words as they stacked up around her. Her feet took her to the right- hand wall. She knew the on she wanted- the exact position-but when she made it to The Whistler’s usual place on the shelf, it was not there. A slight gap was in its place.

From above, she heard footsteps.”

As you can guess, they don’t get caught.  They leave the house, return home, and Liesel cements her name as the book thief. Also this shows you how long this book is when you hear that this passage fit on to almost half a page in the book, half a page! Well I must now leave to continue my journey in to the heart of this beast of the book until next post, Hoped you enjoyed.