Adapting The Book Thief

I'm 3/4 through The Book Thief (the book). Apparently there's a movie. What would I be thinking, were I adapting it?

1. do we do the Death voiceover?

The narration is essential to the book. It's not just about the narrator's unique perspective (Death), it's about style. The style of the prose is my favorite thing about this book. The dialogue can come across in film, of course, but how do you deliver that style of narration without a voiceover? Bake it in the visuals? That would be interesting. For example, when Death describes a white sky (synesthetically), you make the sky extra white. When Death describes a voice like a needle and thread... you show a needle and thread? You abstract everything, mix all the senses. That's one way. The other way is a voiceover. How do you voice Death? On paper, the coldness comes across. But you don't just want the coldest actor, because Death actually has more conscience than many of the characters. Death has a warmth. And Death is cold. Also, should we assume Death is male? I certainly did. Maybe Death isn't. In any case it sounds cheesy to do a Death voiceover throughout -- and it would have to be throughout, with any hope of making this movie stand out. It doesn't stand out enough purely on its story. I wouldn't be interested in this book or movie purely for its story. The narration is the best part. Maybe that's why I haven't heard of this movie -- they failed to make it stand out.

2. how much German do we speak?

I wouldn't mind a full-German movie with subtitles. There's no way that's what they did. I'd definitely want at least some German, and the kids better have real accents.