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Editorial Review:
John Boyne's The Boy in Striped Pyjamas will no doubt acquire many readers as a result of the subsequent film of the novel, but viewers of the latter would do themselves a favour by going back to the spare and powerfully affecting original book. Bruno is nine years old, and the Nazis’ horrific Final Solution to the ‘Jewish Problem’ means nothing to him. He's completely unaware of the barbarity of Germany under Hitler, and is more concerned by his move from his well-appointed house in Berlin to a far less salubrious area where he finds himself with nothing to do. Then he meets a boy called Shmuel who lives a very different life from him -- a life on the opposite side of a wire fence. And Shmuel is the eponymous boy in the striped pyjamas, as are all the other people on the other side of the fence. The friendship between the two boys begins to grow, but for Bruno it is a journey from blissful ignorance to a painful knowledge. And he will find that this learning process carries, for him, a daunting price.
A legion of books have attempted to evoke the horrors of the Second World War, but in this concise and perfectly honed novel, all of the effects that John Boyne creates are allowed to make a maximum impact in a relatively understated fashion (given the enormity of the situation here). The Boy in Striped Pyjamas is also that rare thing: a novel which can affect both children and adults equally; a worthy successor, in fact, to such masterpieces as To Kill a Mockingbird and The Catcher in the Rye -- both, of course, books, dealing (as does this one) with the loss of innocence. --Barry Forshaw
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
An excellent if somewhat unusual read Written in simple text - as if written by a nine year old perhaps, this book deals with a sensitive subject through the eyes of a child. I could not put this book down and read it in two days. A book written for children but needs an adults prespective to understand the true meaning. Older children 11+ would enjoy with some explaining.
A Must Read!!! I read a lot of books and never have I felt compelled to write a review about one before but this is one of the most amazing, thought provoking books I have ever read. My heart was beating so fast at several points and I was completely immersed in Bruno's world. I don't have a lot more to say about this book other than pick it up and read it!
A horrible book, not for children, not for adults I borrowed the book from the library to read it first -- in case it is good, I would buy a copy for my 11 year son. Luckily I read it FIRST and what a horror it is! Let's get it straight -- it was not written by a person with any serious thought on that part of human tragedy. Playing with words like "Out-With" in English should make everyone angry enough! I find more thought-provoking reading all those "1 star" reviews than reading the book itself. If there is a "zero" star for the review!more info
Thought provoking, insightful, great read Once in a while you read a book that causes you to reflect, ponder and really think deeply about what you're taking in. The story itself is compelling and well worth reading but the insight into the period, the conditions and the insanity of what happened in the concentration camps of the second world war make this a must read. The fact that the story is told through the innocent eyes of a young boy trying to figure out what's happening make it a classic. Thought provoking, insightful and a great read.
