The Book Thief: A book lovers review of the movie

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is one of my favourite books. I read it when I was 12. It released in 2005 and I read it in 2007. I will admit, I thought I was a little young for it at the time, but I was in an around Liesel’s age, so I could relate to it very well.  It was the first historical-fiction novel I read. I felt myself grow as Liesel’s character developed. Liesel and I were the same person. It taught me that endings aren’t always happy. In a way the book took away my naivety and childish notions. It has contributed to my life in one of the biggest ways possible and that is, teaching me that Words are life. Even today, seven years later, it reminds me of when I was little, and it takes me back to a time when life was only hard if your book was sad, good, or ending. The worst is when it was sad but good and it came to an end, like The Book Thief.  

The overused copy. Acquired in 2007

Over the years I re-visited The Book Thief a lot, and fell in love with it a little more every time (I didn’t even think that was possible). I was also very fond of the cover of the book that I owned. So when my old paperback edition of the book wore out, I ordered the hardcover one with the same illustration. It’s the cover which has the image of the dominoes, depicting the chapter Dominoes and Darkness. I thought it was perfect and portrayed the essence of the story. The covers that followed this one disappointed me, and after 2008 quite a few of the publications had “Soon to be a motion picture” on it in the front. 

  

It was in May or June of 2013 that I saw the trailer of the film, and I cried. Not too many tears, just a few but it qualified as crying, same as each and every time I read the book. Its sheer literary genius always triggered something in me and I’d weep at its brilliance. The trailer was great and very promising. The actors had the German accents and everything. I was convinced that anything to with this book couldn’t be wrong, or bad or disappointing. Especially after I read about the New York Times blank page stunt the marketing team of The Book Thief movie pulled.

The movie released in the USA on November 15^th 2013 and according to the internet it was supposed to internationally release sometime in January 2014, but I come from Mumbai, India and it didn’t release in January, neither did it release in February. You can only imagine my disappointment.  A lot of people around me who had read the book had already watched the movie online and others who had read it refused too.

I was apprehensive about the film, no doubt, but curious as hell. Watching the film in a theatre was supposed be an event where I sat in a public space in my bubble, hugging my first copy of the book, to soak up the experience and all that (the book was for moral support just in case).  That obviously didn’t happen, and I started leaning towards not watching it at all. That was till I read the article Zusak wrote for the Sydney Morning Herald about how he let go of the book. This article encouraged me to not be so judgemental about book to movie/show adaptations. Someone else however (who I’m assuming watched the film), told me watching it alone on my laptop would be ideal for all the soaking and bubble experience.

I took heed of that advice and finally watched it today with a friend on her laptop and tried not to make a big deal of it. I played it cool.

It was a good movie. I actually really liked it. The actors were great. The accents were amazing (I have constantly been saying ‘nein’ instead of no). The story retained most of its remarkable aspects and some of the best dialogues weren’t lost in the film. They were mentioned differently or at different parts but they were there. Like in the book, Max Vandenburg isn’t the one who gives boy advice, but in the movie he does say “The only thing worse than a boy you hate, is a boy you like.” In the book it goes, “The only thing worse than a boy who hates you, is a boy who loves you.” I was glad to see that this vital bit of information was retained. I have learnt much from it. I also never thought I’d ever say or even think this but Max insanely attractive in the film. I mean, oh god, I thought he was HOT. Rudy’s hair was, is and will always be the colour of lemons, whether in the book or film. I was scared that Death (the narrator of the story) wouldn’t be done justice in the movie and he wasn’t. The first half of the film moved a little quick for me but I loved it all the same. They also call “Himmel Street”, “Heaven Street” and that bothered me a little, even though I’m aware that that’s the translation of the word from German to English.

The film was tear-jerking, but it wasn’t the sob fest I’d expected and I think that’s good too. Movie experiences are meant to be shared at the time of viewing unlike reading experiences. Reading is much too personal. So I was grateful that I didn’t meltdown while I watched the film.

"May this book inspire you to be the best writer in the world"

Brian Percival the director of the film has, according to me, made the film well enough for the viewing experience of someone who is not familiar with the book to want to actually read it. This is a skill I almost regard as a super power. At least in today’s day and age it is, because not enough people read things if they can watch them. I am also absolutely confident that whoever reads the book for the first time after watching the film will be in for a completely different experience and will love every bit of it.

So go ahead and watch the movie everyone, but make sure you read the book too.    

I recently learnt that Markus Zusak took fourteen years to write this book. Every bit of those fourteen years was worth the outcome. I only hope someday I create something this great, and someone somewhere loves it as much as I love this.

And to quote my favourite lines from the book, “I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.”

Copyright © Kanika Chopra. 2014.  All Rights Reserved.