Throughout the sixth part of The Book Thief, Death reveals more info about himself. How does this help explain his fascination with Liesel?

Liesel provides Death with distraction and moments of beauty.

Death is haunted by humans.  In this chapter, we learn a little more about why.  He explains that he is not the stereotypical image of the bringer of death that we picture, like the Grim Reaper.  He is a more complex presence.  Death doesn't bringdeath, he cleans up after it.  He also never gets time off, and has to see sadness and pain everywhere.  The...

Liesel provides Death with distraction and moments of beauty.

Death is haunted by humans.  In this chapter, we learn a little more about why.  He explains that he is not the stereotypical image of the bringer of death that we picture, like the Grim Reaper.  He is a more complex presence.  Death doesn't bring death, he cleans up after it.  He also never gets time off, and has to see sadness and pain everywhere.  The reader feels sorry for Death, rather than being afraid of him!

They keep triggering inside me. They harass my memory. I see them tall in their heaps, all mounted on top of each other. There is air like plastic, a horizon like setting glue. There are skies manufactured by people, punctured and leaking, and there are soft, coal-colored clouds, beating like black hearts. (Part 6, Ch. 41)

Death worries about the “leftover humans.”  He has to face humans in their last moments, or after their last moments, all of the time.  Yet some of them stick with him.  Death tries to focus on colors, taking little micro-vacations in the beauty around him, but it doesn’t always work.

In Liesel, Death finds these “strewn pieces of beauty.” 

She’s carrying some snow down to a basement, of all places. Handfuls of frosty water can make almost anyone smile, but it cannot make them forget. (Part 6, Ch. 41)

Liesel is clever, compassionate, and troubled.  She is haunted by death, just as Death is haunted by her.  From the moment Death comes for her brother, the two are linked.  Liesel captures Death’s imagination and her attention.  He finds a vacation in her, because she is a beautiful person.  He reviews the moments of her life and enjoys watching her as if he is her friend.

In Liesel, Death sees one of his leftover humans.  She saw her brother die, and Death was there.  Yet Liesel makes the best of some really bad situations.  In Nazi Germany, suffering is everywhere.  Liesel is a bright spot in the darkness.