1
by Anthony Doerr
02014
Why you'll love it:
This delivers a very similar reading experience to The Book Thief — fans consistently love both.
10 Best Books Like The Book Thief
If you loved The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, here are the most similar books our readers recommend.
Quick Answer
The best books like The Book Thief are:
- 1All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr0
- 2The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald4.4
- 3Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult0
- 4The Sentence by Louise Erdrich3.9
- 5A Little Life: A Novel by Hanya Yanagihara4.5
- 6Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano4.1
- 7A Man Called Ove: A Novel by Fredrik Backman4.6
- 8The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong0
- 9My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult0
- 10Everything I Promised You by Katy Upperman4.4
In Nazi Germany, young Liesel Meminger discovers the power of words when she begins stealing books and learning to read with her foster father's help. Narrated by Death himself, this haunting tale follows Liesel as she shares her stolen books with neighbors during air raids and hides a Jewish man in her basement, finding hope and humanity amid the horrors of war. A story about the transformative power of literature in the darkest of times.
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Detailed Recommendations
2
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
4.41925180 pages
Why you'll love it:
This literary fiction shares a elegiac and haunting tone that will resonate with The Book Thief fans.
3
by Jodi Picoult
0
Why you'll love it:
This literary fiction shares a melancholic yet hopeful tone that will resonate with The Book Thief fans.
4
by Louise Erdrich
3.92021387 pages
Why you'll love it:
This literary fiction shares a melancholic yet hopeful tone that will resonate with The Book Thief fans.
5
by Hanya Yanagihara
4.52015
Why you'll love it:
This literary fiction shares a devastating and relentless tone that will resonate with The Book Thief fans.
6
by Ann Napolitano
4.12023594 pages
Why you'll love it:
This literary fiction shares a devastating but hopeful tone that will resonate with The Book Thief fans.
7
by Fredrik Backman
4.62014352 pages
Why you'll love it:
This literary fiction shares a bittersweet and warming tone that will resonate with The Book Thief fans.
8
by Ocean Vuong
0
Why you'll love it:
This literary fiction shares a melancholic yet luminous tone that will resonate with The Book Thief fans.
9
by Jodi Picoult
02005
Why you'll love it:
This literary fiction shares a devastating and raw tone that will resonate with The Book Thief fans.
10
by Katy Upperman
4.42025384 pages
Why you'll love it:
This literary fiction shares a devastating but hopeful tone that will resonate with The Book Thief fans.
Quick Comparison: Books Like The Book Thief
| Book | Author | Rating | Year | Pages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All the Light We Cannot See | Anthony Doerr | 0 | 2014 | — | Closest match |
| The Great Gatsby | F. Scott Fitzgerald | 4.4 | 1925 | 180 | Similar vibes |
| Leaving Time | Jodi Picoult | 0 | — | — | Similar vibes |
| The Sentence | Louise Erdrich | 3.9 | 2021 | 387 | Similar vibes |
| A Little Life: A Novel | Hanya Yanagihara | 4.5 | 2015 | — | Similar vibes |
| Hello Beautiful | Ann Napolitano | 4.1 | 2023 | 594 | Similar vibes |
| A Man Called Ove: A Novel | Fredrik Backman | 4.6 | 2014 | 352 | Similar vibes |
| The Emperor of Gladness | Ocean Vuong | 0 | — | — | Similar vibes |
| My Sister's Keeper | Jodi Picoult | 0 | 2005 | — | Similar vibes |
| Everything I Promised You | Katy Upperman | 4.4 | 2025 | 384 | Similar vibes |
Authors Who Write Like Markus Zusak
If you enjoy Markus Zusak's writing style, explore these similar authors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What books are most similar to The Book Thief?
The most similar books to The Book Thief are All the Light We Cannot See, The Great Gatsby, Leaving Time.
What should I read after The Book Thief?
After finishing The Book Thief, readers most commonly pick up All the Light We Cannot See next.
Who writes books like Markus Zusak?
Authors similar to Markus Zusak include Madeline Miller, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Brit Bennett, Patti Callahan Henry, Colson Whitehead.
What genre is The Book Thief?
The Book Thief is a Literary Fiction novel by Markus Zusak, published in 2014. It features elements of WWII, Nazi Germany.
How long is The Book Thief?
The Book Thief varies in length depending on edition.
About The Book Thief
DON’T MISS BRIDGE OF CLAY, MARKUS ZUSAK’S FIRST NOVEL SINCE THE BOOK THIEF AND AN UNFORGETTABLE AND SWEEPING FAMILY SAGA. Two award-winning modern classics from #1 New York Times bestselling author Markus Zusak! The Book Thief affirms the ability of books to feed the soul even in the bleakest of times in a story the New York Times described as “brilliant. . . . the kind of book that can be life-changing.” It is 1939. Nazi Germany. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still. Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist-books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement. I Am the Messenger is a Printz Honor-winning novel and recipient of five starred reviews that tells the story of Ed Kennedy, an underage cabdriver without much of a future. His life is one of peaceful routine and incompetence until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery. That's when the first ace arrives in the mail. That's when Ed becomes the messenger. Chosen to care, he makes his way through town helping and hurting (when necessary) until only one question remains: Who's behind Ed's mission? Discover the enormous talent that is Marcus Zusak in this extraordinary collection that showcases the intensity and heart inherent in his storytelling.