The Book Thief is a novel by Markus Zusak that was first published in 2005 that tells the story of a young girl  living in Nazi Germany during World War II. It touches on themes of love and loss, and is narrated by Death, giving it a unique and haunting perspective. Significantly, The Book Thief explores the immense, sometimes contradictory power of language, including that of the printed word. Read key facts, the plot summary, and important quotes.

Summary

Read one-minute Sparklet summaries, the detailed chapter-by-chapter Summary & Analysis, the Full Book Summary, or the Full Book Analysis of The Book Thief.

Characters

See a complete list of the characters in The Book Thief and in-depth analyses of Liesel Meminger, Max Vandenburg, Hans Hubermann, and Rudy Steiner.

Literary Devices

Here's where you will find analysis of the key literary devices in The Book Thief.

Quotes

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Essays

Learn more about The Book Thief by reading these mini-essays and suggested essay topics.

Further Study

Go further in your study of The Book Thief with background information about Markus Zusak and the novel's publication, as well as suggestions for further reading.

Purchase

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