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The Book Thief
- Narrated by: Allan Corduner
- Length: 13 hrs and 55 mins
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The Book Thief
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Summary
Brought to life by the rich tone of narrator Allan Corduner's voice, The Book Thief is one audiobook that will stay lodged in your mind long after the final word has been spoken.
Shortlisted for the British Book Awards, Newcomer of the Year, 2008.
"It's just a small story, really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, a Jewish fist fighter, and quite a lot of thievery...."
This novel is narrated in the all-knowing, matter-of-fact voice of Death, who witnesses the story of the citizens of Molching.
When nine-year-old Liesel arrives outside the boxlike house of her new foster parents at 33 Himmel Street, she refuses to get out of the car. Liesel has been separated from her parents, "Kommunists", forever, and at the burial of her little brother, she steals a gravedigger's instruction manual, which she can't read. It is the beginning of her illustrious career.
In the care of the Hubermans, Liesel befriends blond-haired Rudy Steiner, a neighbour obsessed with Jesse Owens, and the mayor's wife, who hides from despair in her library. Together, Liesel and Rudy steal books - from Nazi book-burning piles, from the mayor's library, from the rich people for whom her foster mother does the ironing. In time, they take in a Jewish boxer, Max, who reads with Liesel in the basement.
By 1943, the Allied bombs are falling, and the sirens begin to wail. Liesel shares her books in the air-raid shelters. But one day in the life of Himmel Street, the wail of the sirens comes too late.
A life-changing tale of the cruel twists of fate and the coincidences on which all our lives hinge, this is also a joyous look at how books can nourish the soul. Its uplifting ending will make listeners weep.
Critic reviews
"Allan Corduner is perfectly voiced as the narrator, who visits the 9-year-old book thief, whose parents have been sent to a concentration camp, three times. It¿s Zusak¿s first adult novel and it¿s breathtaking." ( Daily Express)
"Absorbing and searing." ( Washington Post)
"Zusak makes his ostensibly gloomy subject bearable in the same way Kurt Vonnegut did in Slaughterhouse-Five, with grim, darkly consoling humour." ( Time)
"Zusak's playfulness with language leavens the horror and makes the theme more resonant: words can save your life....It's a measure of how successfully Zusak has humanized these characters that even though we know they are doomed, it's no less devastating when Death finally reaches them." ( Publishers Weekly)
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What listeners say about The Book Thief
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Siobhan
- 05-06-22
captivating
the narrator draws you in. I have felt every emotion the narrator portrayed. a wonderfully haunting book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Emma Walsh
- 04-05-22
Stunning
Loved this book. The narration by Death was brilliant and the whole book was reminiscent of The boy in striped pajamas.
Would definitely recommend.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mark
- 11-08-22
Persevere, it's worth it!
I found the book hard going and failed to finish but the audio version worked far better for me and the story came alive. I found it both quirky and original, and I'm confident I will be back for a second listen. We'll worth it!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Robin D Low
- 12-10-22
I laughed, I wept.
From the first sentence I was hooked by this story and the brilliant performance of the narrator. Within seconds I was captivated by this story. A fantastic story and I thoroughly recommend it to you as your next listen.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Barbara
- 06-12-22
Brilliant performance
The story and characters were brought to life by the narrator. Probably one of the best audiobooks I have listened to.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Bridget Marsh
- 02-02-23
Among my favourite audio books
Very well written and read, good plot and pace, depth of character. Would recommend it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- C
- 21-09-23
Beautiful book,worth the hype
I absolutely loved the style of writing I really felt like I was there with the narrator (no spoilers)
I actually came to really really care about the characters, Beautifully written
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- MummaB
- 26-07-23
Spellbinding
Took me a while to fall in love with this listen, but when I fell, I was all in. All the best and worst parts of the human race in one book. “Death’s” interjections are pure brilliance.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anna Bellamy
- 16-02-24
beautiful story
could not recommend highly enough, beautifully written and narrated. could not recommend highly enough, beautifully written and narrated.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Gavingks
- 20-04-14
If i could give six stars for performance i would
this is a truly excellent book. after listening I was told it was teenage fiction, well then more teenage fiction please. World war 2 from a Germany point of view with wit sensitivity and love. Now I have read it I want to see the film
Allan must be one of the best narrators with great characterisation and wit. He finds a perfect balance
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2 people found this helpful