DEATH,the arch harvester ,is not inscrutable in "The Book thief."The arch book - keeper i.e.Death is more kind ,genial,just ,and compassionate than the Nazis.The Nazis burn books,Death saves manuscripts and Liesel loves books(so she stoops to steal the fire in books).This is not really a book on Thanatophobia but is an endorsement of the triumph of wisdom over Death, the redeemer.