The Book Thief Chapter 13

A Girl Made Of Darkness

• Liesel first steals a book on January 13, 1939. The second one is taken on April 20, 1940, four hundred and sixty three days later.
• This second act of book thievery is important to the story.
• It opens up a world of book stealing opportunities and helps Hans figure out "a plan to help the Jewish fist fighter."
• Death thinks that Nazi Germany would not have been able to do what it did, if the German people did not love burning things, including "Shops, synagogues, […] personal items, slain people, and of course, books" (13.8).
• Liesel steals The Shoulder Shrug, her second stolen book, from a book burning.
• Liesel is driven to steal the book by "anger and dark hatred" (13.8).
• The book burning happens on April 20, which is Hitler's birthday.
• When she rescues the burning book, "Liesel [is] a girl made of darkness" (13.8).
• For us to understand what Liesel is so mad about, Death will have to take us back a few months.