Suzanne Leal

And that, I think, is where he hits his stride.

I always think that many books can be edited down.

And over the last number of years that I've been judging the Premier's Literary Awards, that's been, I suppose, my most frequent criticism, that books haven't been edited sufficiently.

Shell, for example, seems to have been a very well-edited book.

And as we spoke about in terms of the historical significance, the research is light.

Well, as you may know, Cassie, I'm also a lawyer.

Oh.

Be careful what you say.

Can I say what I love about the book?

Please do.

What I love about the book is the empathy that Marcus Zuzak shows to his world.

As with the book Thief, he's created one big world and he has a number of characters.

I agree at first it's too convoluted, but slowly the characters come into the world and you're immersed in it.

And he loves his characters.

And once you're there, you love them too.

I was reading it for the second time on the way down today and I was crying by the end because there is an enormous amount of empathy that he shows his work.

I think...

It seems from recent interviews about Marcus Zusak he's hardened himself but he's very careful of his characters and he shows a lot of love for them.

I think that came out in The Book Thief and I think that's perhaps why The Book Thief has been so popular because he created a world, he brought you into it.

Every now and then he steps out as the narrator to bring the reader back in and he immerses you.