The Book Thief (reviewed)

Before wanting to venture into the world of netflix and watch The Book Thief (as recommended by a friend) I decided to follow the ever long prophecy, “the book is better than the film”, and delved into the pages of the book.

The storyline is beautifully written, narrated from deaths point of view, following his curiosity of human nature despite what he can see upon collecting their souls. The way Zusak has written Liesel Meminger as a character, to show her naivety towards the war and the additional political influences, is something to marvel at. The reader becomes fully involved in Liesels childhood, alongside the dramatic irony, the novel builds up to an upsetting revelation.

We spend most time with Liesel and her brazen-faced best friend Rudy Steiner on ‘Himmel Strasse’ (Sky Road) where their continuous games of football seemingly never end, and the ever perpetulant Rudy asks for a kiss at every opportunity.

Liesel gains her title as The Book Thief when she begins to break into the mayors home through an open window and steal a book, for Liesel this is revenge for the couple telling her mama (Rosa Hubermann) that they can no longer afford to keep paying her to provide their laundry services.

From cover to cover, it is thoroughly entertaining, allowing readers to envolve themselves and become a part of the community of characters, right up until the novels close.

The prophecy is correct, the book is much better than the film.

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Leeds Festival 2014

This summer I attended the annual Leeds Festival hosted in Bramham Park, which I’m sure is such a beautiful place when it isn’t filled with tents and buzzing with energy that radiates from hormonal teenagers, itching to enter the arena and catch a glimpse of their idol or favourite bands, apart from the ones who just want to go on the rides and get a cheap pizza of course.

However, I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent there with my group of friends, who had experienced previous festivals, unlike myself (who was delirious from the long walk from the entrance to our camp site, and simply bewildered by the atrocities I had been presented with upon entering the toilets.)

I had my camera, ready in hand most days, to catch a shot or two of my many outings to the arena and to the village too, where typical car-boot salesmen shout out “bargin” every once in a while.

The atmosphere was outstanding, everyone laughing or smiling, tryring to make the best of the last days of their summer holidays in the dreary Leeds weather.

However, I did manage to create a vlog (video blog) of the whole event, and even now, take pleasure in reminding myself of those days of freedom in the freezing, wet weather.

Watch my video here