the ending!

Finishing the Book Thief was not easy! I didn't want the story to be over.



By the end of her story, Liesel realizes the true power of words. Words give people, like Hitler in this case, power. The absolute disgust and hatred for the community of Jewish people stemed from the simple, convincing words of the Fuhrer. A few words that destroyed the lives of millons.



It's hard to describe the loveliness of The Word Shaker. Written by Max, the story uses a tree to represent the friendship between the German girl and the Jewish man. The tree is planted from a tear, taken from the Jewish mans cheek. Constantly, people including the Father are trying to chop down the tree. But it continues to stand until the man returns for the little girl.



The last two chapters were difficult to read, simply because it's so hard to let go of the characters you've become attached too. Rudy, Hans and Rosa ultimately die due to bombs that hit Himmel Street. Liesel is the only one to survive because she is in the basement writing. This tragedy had been alluded to during the previous chapters. Letting go of Rudy, Hans and Rosa is hard not only for Liesel, but for the reader. These characters (Rudy with his lemon hair. Hans with his gentle eyes. Rosa with her unusual ways of expressing love) were hard not to fall in love with. Although the story of the book thief may seem tragic, there are moments of remarkable love that give us hope for Liesel, and humanity.