TBT: Part Nine–Epilogue

Mackenzie S. (United States of America)
Liesel Meminger is a foster child living in Nazi Germany in 1939. Surrounded by violence, hardship, and war, Liesel is watched over by Death, who narrates her story.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Prologue–Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten–Epilogue
15 words 21 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. pensive
    deeply or seriously thoughtful
    On many occasions he was pensive about the thought of his son fighting in Stalingrad, but he hoped that some of his luck was in the boy’s blood.
  2. alleviate
    provide physical relief, as from pain
    If nothing else, it alleviated the pain of simply watching.
  3. pendulum
    an apparatus in which an object is mounted to swing freely
    Another human pendulum. Another clock, stopped.
  4. obliterate
    do away with completely, without leaving a trace
    Liesel wrote that sometimes she almost told him about her own brother, like she did with Max, but there seemed a big difference between a long-distance cough and two obliterated legs.
  5. console
    give moral or emotional strength to
    How do you console a man who has seen such things?
  6. bereaved
    a person who has suffered the death of someone they loved
    Michael Holtzapfel was buried and the book thief read to the bereaved.
  7. resolute
    firm in purpose or belief
    Hot tears fought for room in her eyes as she would not let them out. Better to stand resolute and proud.
  8. insolent
    marked by casual disrespect
    He cried as the soldiers came and a small collection of insolent Jews stood and watched.
  9. desecrate
    remove the sacredness from a person or an object
    Papa’s fingers desecrated the accordion, murdering song after song, no matter how hard he tried.
  10. insufferable
    extremely unpleasant or annoying
    You have been a friend to me even though I hurt you, even though I have been insufferable (a word I looked up in your dictionary), and I think I will leave you alone now.
  11. lustrous
    brilliant
    The light was still orange, but it was not as lustrous as earlier.
  12. quell
    suppress or crush completely
  13. detriment
    a damage or loss
    He does something to me, that boy. Every time. It’s his only detriment. He steps on my heart. He makes me cry.
  14. unfurl
    unroll, unfold, or spread out
  15. tact
    consideration in dealing with others
Created on Thu Apr 17 14:42:17 EDT 2025 (updated Thu Apr 09 12:33:29 EDT 2026)

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