Phenomenal....a MUST READ....
This book is not only unique and ambitious, it is positively brilliant and a MUST READ for people of all ages. I highly recommend it for book clubs, and as required reading for history or social studies courses.
Written from the perspective of the omniscient "Death," this Holocaust story forces the reader to reconsider his/her notions of the average German citizens during this horrific time in history.
This tale of a yourng girl and her partner-in-crime best friend, forces us to consider not all German citizens were in favor of the Nazi party, Hitler's Youth Organizations, or hating the Jews. As a Jew myself, it is a hard pill to swallow, since it is far easier to blame the average German citizen for not doing anything to stop the horrors, yet this book reminds us that not everyone was to blame. Do the small acts of defiance such as hiding a jew in a basement, or throwing bread to starving jews on their march to a concentration camp absolve these people from blame? That is for each reader to decide for him/herself. While this book is likely to be considered a "Holocaust novel" it is truly so much more than that. It is an extremely important read and something you will want to discuss after reading. I can't recommend it highly enough and can't wait to read more of this brilliant author's works!
