Asena Rawlin

Maybe it can be, maybe i am too blind to see it rn

Old diaries and forgotten entries, continued legacies and passed on love… Ink stained pages and stacks of albums, all and more can never be enough...

One of the recent books I had the fortune of reading was the Book Thief. Written by Markus Zusak, a historical fiction, suitable for any age. First most, the narration has my heart. I am not a huge fan of first person point of views but the wonderful storyteller here, Death, changed that for me. What a character, absolutely enigmatic and charming. How he insists that this story can be cheerful, even affable but not nice. Haunted by humans, yet still fails to de-attach himself from them. After doing this job since the beginning of mankind, an awfully long period of time, he still manages to get affected by the tragedies that humans inflict on each other. Hunger, war, famines, love. Now that is very humane of Death. I will not refrain from saying the truth but he is most definitely my favourite character in the book. His commentary, his remarks, the dialogues and callbacks along the lines of, ‘I know what’s going to happen, and so do you’ have been exhilarating and chill worthy for me. As a figure with no feelings of remorse or guilt, the emotions he acknowledged he felt, be it while collecting souls, or while pondering about the fate of people or him confessing how he doesn’t understand the duality of humans. Absolutely brilliant! A part of me saw glimpses of Sherlock in him, the book and Cumberbatch’s Sherlock, but for the most part of the book, I kept him as stereotypical as ever and an avid dementor fashion enthusiastic guy in my mind. The theme of the book in my opinion is him. How he is present everywhere, especially in the set time. He is not dangerous, nor wishes you harm. All he is doing is his duty, which is, as natural to him as he is to us. Death is not a punishment but rather a relief.

Being set in the N a z i Germany era, the historical fiction this novel possess is truly a delightful sorrow. Destiny and a young girl, Liesel Memminger, with a mother and brother. Neither of them with her for long. (I am sorry). The timeline if I am not wrong, correctly aligns with the real-life events and the mentions of the camps and tortures are true to the bone. Liesel Memminger, fascinated by novels and books since when she couldn’t even read a single thing. A girl truly just filled with passion and burning desire, enough to steal books from frosted graveyard to sizzling bonfire to the comforts of a mayor’s wife’s library. Liesel accesses the true powers of words. Or at least begins the journey to it. It is her reading that calms the neighbourhood taking shelter in the basement from the fireworks in the sky. It is her reading and writing which saves her life.

The Hubermanns…oh dear me! As I started the book, I was under the impression it was going to be a typical foster home that treats the foster kid poorly. Which then contributes to the child’s trauma and makes its life worse and the book longer. But how wrong I was! I was expecting Hans to act extremely abusive and shady with Liesel. That’s the initial impression I got from him. But I was bound to love his character, what a father figure. Former WWI soldier, the best accordion player, and a painter with the biggest heart. A man of his word truly, despite having conflicting thoughts in his mind. To stand with his country and son or with the man who he owes his life to? I wouldn't say he was flawed or had many bad traits but the ideals and morals he stood up for, what he bled and broke for, were truly remarkable. This man has my utmost love and respect. My mind sort of fan cast-ed David Thewlis as Hans and I am very happy that is did. Wonderful character designs, I must say.

Oh, Rosa Hubermann, I expected her to be an evil stepmom who constantly abuses her daughter and is only after money. I mean, yes, we do get the impression of her being a sharp tonged mother with a bad temper,for a long time but like Death says Rosa is a good woman for a crisis. How she gathers herself and protects everyone who was near her. She won’t let anyone sleep hungry, and she won’t let Liesel grow up too fast, whom she abuses, quite a lot of times…but that is just her love language. Just as Hans's love language for Liesel is to spend time with her when she needs it. Be it waking up in the middle of the night to soothe her, to change her soiled bedsheets or to teach her how to read and provide her with a book any chance he got, despite the financial situation. And for Rosa, his love language was to irritate her with his accordion playing and more. I was absolutely broken at those moments when the same Rosa who used to shout and curse at Hans for playing the accordion instead of finding jobs, used to hug the very thing she despised, for she missed the man she so dearly loved. Hats off to Markus Zusak to have created such multi-dimensional people in this story. So realistic. Very much along the philosophy of everyone has both good and bad sides. Soft and hard insides.

Which reminds me of Rudy Steiner. Damn him. Liesel’s neighbour, from her arch enemy to her best friend. God, I truly felt like a teenager reading those moments with him and Liesel. The first encounters, Jessie Owens incidents, the funny banters, the thieving, the standing up for each other and the asks for a kiss. Oh! How Death used to mock us with the words like how Rudy will finally get his kiss, but it would be too late for him.  Death’s way of teasing the reader about what they wish would just happen and how it wouldn’t, the way they want to, by disclosing just enough details to keep them turning and tossing in the bed. I really hated and loved this style.

Love, heals, be it from the hands of Hans and Rosa or from Liesel’s. Concept of family and relations have been one of the key points I found being highlighted. Be it the relationship of Hubermanns and Liesel, or with Steiners or with Max Vandenburg, the Jew in the basement who writes two books for Liesel which helps Liesel understand people, friendships and devlopes her skills as a reader and writer, and who indirectly saves Liesel’s life through this way.

And I loved this book. I found happiness and joy while reading the saddest of the scenes, set in such a depressing phase of Human History. And with this, I was able to pick out the sadness and grief in the happiest of moments. This is what life is all about. Love, relations, problems, conflicts, joy and grief. How Death is not as fearsome as it is passed on. How a false propaganda and elitist views and ideals can cause havoc and vast genocides. How fun and laughter gets us through the hardest of times. And how we as humans, have the lifespan of a mayfly in comparison to the wonderful universe which surrounds us. Yet still, human life and relations we make along the way are as important as ever.