Markus Zusak
- The Book Thief
She did not say goodbye. She was incapable, and after a few more minutes at his side, she was able to tear herself from the ground. It amazes me what humans can do, even when streams are flowing down their faces and they stagger on, coughing and searching, and finding.
Markus Zusak
- The Book Thief
Papa. He was tall in the bed and I could see the silver through his eyelids. His soul sat up. It met me. Those kinds of souls always do the best ones. The ones who rise up and say, "I know who you are and I am ready. Not that I want to go, of course, but I will come."
Markus Zusak
- The Book Thief
After perhaps thirty metres, just as a soldier turned around, the girl was felled. Hands were clamped upon her from behind and the boy next door brought her down. He forced her knees to the road and suffered the penalty. He collected her punches as if they were presents. Her bony hands and elbows were accepted with nothing but a few short moans. He accumulated the loud, clumsy specks of saliva and tears as if they were lovely to his face, and more important, he was able to hold her down.
Markus Zusak
- The Book Thief
There were twigs of hair, just like Liesel thought, and the swampy eyes stepped across, shoulder to shoulder over the other Jews. When they reached her, they pleaded. His beard stroked down his face and his mouth shivered as he said the word, the name, the girl. Liesel.
Markus Zusak
- The Book Thief
In truth, I think he was afraid. Rudy Steiner was scared of the book Thief's Kiss. He must have longed for her so much. He must have loved her so incredibly hard. So hard that he would never ask for her lips again and would go to his grave without them.
Markus Zusak
- The Book Thief
When she finally reached out and took possession of the letter, she noticed the sound of the clock in the library. Grimly, she realized that clocks don't make a sound that even remotely resembles ticking, tocking. It was more the sound of a hammer, upside down, hacking methodically at the earth. It was the sound of a grave.
Markus Zusak
- The Book Thief
Although something inside her told her that this was a crime - after all, her three books were the most precious items she owned - she was compelled to see the thing lit. She couldn't help it. I guess humans like to watch a little destruction. Sand castles, houses of cards, that's where they begin. Their great skill is their capacity to escalate.
