This is the first YA novel I've read since no longer being in that audience. Back then, my mom bought me this book for Christmas or something, though This is the first YA novel I've read since no longer being in that audience. Back then, my mom bought me this book for Christmas or something, though I'd never read it for some reason. The story is narrated by Death. While I never felt like the main character (Liesel) was very compelling, her foster parents (the Hubermanns) and her friend (Rudy Steiner) were well done, interesting characters.
On the downside, I think I was 50% through the book by the time the plot appeared, and there were a lot of short, throwaway "super profound" comments that seemed silly and edgelordy to an adult but probably seem great to a younger reader.
I was going to rate it 3/5 but changed my mind after feeling affected by the ending and thinking too harshly as an adult on a young adult novel. I ultimately gave it a 4/5 on Goodreads for the characters, for giving me the words to be rude in German, and for probably being better than most books written for teens....more