I read this book just before the 2024 presidential election, when Donald Trump — who later won the election — was speaking in ways reminded many people of the great 20th century fascists, accusing immigrants of “poisoning the blood” and talking about his opposition as “the enemy within.” It all felt very creepy and uncomfortably close.

The poverty and coarseness of Liesel’s neighborhood and her foster mother also caught me off guard. This, too, was something I could feel in my bones. It was not a comfortable or enlightened place. And yet there was care and courage there, as well.

There are ways to maintain your integrity in such places. And that was perhaps what inspired Death to keep Liesel’s story. So many human lives are merely tragic. Others are endured more than lived. Liesel’s life was lived — courageously. And that is what makes the story worth saving.