5 Best Quotes From The Book Thief (2013)

Based on the novel by Markus Zusak, The Book Thief is a 2013 film adaptation starring Sophie Nelisse, Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson, Nico Liersch, and Ben Schnetzer. The story is set in WWII Germany, where Liesel Meminger is orphaned after her mother is discovered to be a communist. She is adopted by Hans and Rosa Hubermann, an elderly couple.

Liesel refuses to speak at first, but over time, she warms up to Hans. He teaches her to read when he discovers that she has a stolen gravedigger's manual in her possession. This is just the first of many books Liesel goes on to steal. She teaches herself to read, then to write, and befriends a few other children in the neighbourhood, including Rudy Steiner. However, her thievery doesn't go unnoticed, and she must face the consequences of rebelling against the Nazi regime.

"I'm not sure what it all meant. Everything he went through. Everything we did."

One of the main conflicts in the film occurs when Hans feels obligated to take in a Jewish man named Max. The Hubermanns hide him in their basement, and Liesel is forbidden to tell anyone about him. Max and Liesel form a strong bond. She often spends time with him reading and writing, describing the outside world to him while he waits out the war.

One night, he leaves because he knows he's putting the Hubermanns in danger. Liesel is heartbroken, and Hans and Rosa feel even guiltier than they did before. Hans wonders what the point of it all was, whether they really helped Max or not. The same could be said of most things in life, but what Liesel finds is that it all makes sense in retrospect. As a young girl, in the moment, she doesn't understand why things play out the way they do.

"If your eyes could speak, what would they say?"

Max is a great inspiration to Liesel. At first, she's afraid of him, and he's curious about her. Over time, she grows to care for him deeply and tries to keep him company whenever possible. He lives vicariously through the stories she tells him, but it's not the same as being a free man.

When he asks Liesel to describe her days and what the outside world is like, he encourages her to show him through her words. This gives Liesel a new perspective, and she begins to understand what it is to be a writer.

"The only thing worse than a boy you hate is a boy you like, right?"

Over time, Liesel tells Max all about her daily adventures, many of which include Rudy. She calls him a pain, but Max sees right through her claims. He doesn't say anything about it for a while, but one day he slyly prods her. "The only thing worse than a boy you hate is a boy you like, right?" Liesel doesn't say anything, which only confirms her feelings, even if she isn't yet sure of them herself.

"This is the stupidest thing I've ever done."

Rosa is a pessimistic, realistic, skeptical sort of woman who rarely lets her severe exterior crack. She's actually quite soft and emotional, but she only allows herself to be vulnerable when she thinks nobody is watching. She thinks that taking Liesel in is a mistake, especially when she sees that the girl is taciturn.

Rosa has the same views about protecting Max, even though she knows it's the right thing. Though she wants to stay true to her beliefs, she also fears being discovered by authorities. She knows what she is doing is "wrong", and berates herself for putting the family in danger. But Hans sees how it makes her feel alive and fuelled by purpose. "And just look how happy you are," Hans replies.

"I am haunted by humans."

The narrator is one of the most compelling characters of the story. He is Death itself, voiced by Roger Allam, who is witty, enigmatic, distant, and wise. Death opens and closes the film with some insightful observations and pieces of advice, and pops in and out of the film to remind viewers that they are going to die.

At the end of the film, Death reveals why he has told this particular story, and why the book thief has stuck with him for so long. Humans fear death and are haunted by it, but what haunts Death? The narration almost makes Death seem like something worthy of empathy, or at least sympathy. In the end, he reveals that he is haunted by humans - especially Liesel Meminger.