Question 9.

[Carol]

9. Liesel and the mayor's wife also have a complicated relationship. Eventually, the mayor's wife leaves her a plate of cookies, and Liesel later returns the plate to the doorstep. Afterwards, "her brother never climbed into her sleep again." (p. 472) Why?

[Carol]

This was one of my favorite relationships in the book, partly because I couldn't guess what would happen, and what a surprise to have her be the one to adopt Liesel at the end. That really tickled me, and warmed me that our poor Liesel had someone that cared about her and in her own way came to love her. It was kind of strange that she allowed Liesel to enter her home and look at and review all her books. Rudy, of course was bored with the idea of going in there and stealing a book, for heavens sake, but he went to be with her. I thought another nice segment of the story for us to read.

[Ashley]

They do have a complicated relationship. First, I love that a powerful woman in the town is being SO subversive. Second, they both have great loss in common. I think they each healed a certain part of each other.