[.ca] Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (ISBN 1846576520)

Well Done!:
Books about the Holocaust are never easy to read. Some are downright terrifying and some make the reader nauseous. This book however approaches this period in history from a new and interesting angle and tells a tale of what might have happened, and in doing so opens up these stories to a whole new generation of readers. The book was originally marketed as a children's book, and then remarketed as adult fiction because of the content. The author claims it is just a book, and soon it will be a major motion picture due out in the fall of 2008. This is the story of two boys who lose everything they hold dear, yet the reality of their loss is completely different. Bruno's life is changed when his father is given a new job and they move from their five-story home in Berlin to a new home in the country that is only three stories tall. He has lost his 3 best friends in life, and his home with the banister and the attic window that looks out over all of Berlin. His new bedroom window looks over small huts in a fenced-in area where everyone wears striped pajamas. One day while being rebellious and doing what he should never do, he walks along the fence and meets a boy with whom he shares a birthday. Shmuel and Bruno meet most days and sit on the opposite sides of the fence and talk. As their friendship grows Bruno's youthful innocence is challenged. The novel is told in the third person narrative, but told from a nine-year- old's perspective. Though the reader knows that the story takes place at Auschwitz, Bruno cannot pronounce it, and misunderstood the name from the beginning. Yet in not naming the place the author leaves the story as a much broader tale. This book is extremely well-written; it takes the reader to a place and time we should never forget, and it reminds us of the human element in all stories. John Boyne has written a book that could become required reading for all school children, and maybe all adults should read it also, lest we forget. So pick it up and walk with Bruno and Shmuel as they develop a growing friendship just sitting and talking through a barbed- wire-topped chain link fence. (First Published in Imprint 2008-05-02.)

Amazing!:
Words cannot describe how amazing this book is. A short read, but it has a huge impact on the reader. I had to read the ending twice, because I just couldn't believe it. I was shocked, and stunned. It should be a compulsory read, especially for young adults. This book should go hand and hand with "Night" by Eli Weisel. I wish I could give in 10 starts because it really deserves it. My local book store has it on the "16 books you should read before you die" list. Honestly, you want a fast read that is simply amazing...GO BUY THIS BOOK!

interesting plot but so-so writing quality:
This is a fiction book geared towards 9- to 12-year-olds. The reader gradually learns who the hero of the book is, through his recalling recent events in his family's move from Berlin to "Out-With".The plot is fairly interesting and the character development not too bad. The author should have continuously reminded himself, though, that he should be speaking and thinking like a 9-year-old. Too many times he puts words and thoughts into little Bruno's mouth and head that no 9-year-old would have in his vocabulary. And so many of the expressions are British/Irish, not German. Like telling his friend to put on a "jumper" when he is cold. The book needs a good editing, to remove these kinds of inaccuracies. There was also puerile use of repetition. I thought I would close the book at one point if the author used the phrase "Hopeless Case" one more time to refer to Bruno's older sister, or the description of his father's office as being "Out of Bounds At All Times And No Exceptions". What is the point of all this capitalization? Is he trying to sound like A.A. Milne's "Winnie the Pooh"? I realize it is difficult to come down to a child's level when trying to teach something as horrible as the Holocaust, and the author tried. I much preferred books by Carol Matas (Lisa's War, After the War), Lois Lowry (Number the Stars) for fictional accounts, and such ones as Daniel's Story for non-fiction.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too:
What an incredible story! John Boyne has created innocent, naïve Bruno and given him a powerful story to tell. This moving book should be required reading for everyone. Set in the 1940's in Berlin, Germany, the story centers around a nine-year-old German boy named Bruno. His family leaves Berlin to move to the country because his father has been reassigned by the "Fury." Bruno's youth and innocence has protected him from the harsh realities of Hilter and his reign of terror. Life in the country is dull and boring for Bruno. He doesn't understand his new home, "Out-With." He's left his friends behind and doesn't like the smaller house he's forced to live in with his parents and his sister. Missing the hustle and bustle of the city, Bruno begins to explore his new surroundings. Beyond the fence near his house, he sees people, but is confused by their strange striped pajamas and their sad demeanor. Bruno's loneliness is somewhat relieved when he becomes friends with a boy on the other side of the fence. They meet daily and exchange comments about their daily lives, but neither fully understands the circumstances of the other. Boyne presents a story about the Holocaust like none other before. He brings tragedy to life through the eyes of innocent children. Readers of all ages will be spellbound until the last page and beyond. Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

A little gem of a book:
A heartbreaking tale about the friendship between two little boys, Bruno and Shmuel, who had no clear understanding of what was surrounding and separating them beside a tall, barbed wire fence. Delivered by a clear and uncomplicated narrative, the Holocaust is seen through a different perspective, -no ghastly descriptions, no monstrosities- and it's recounted with the profound simplicity of a nine-year old child. Knowing history and considering the time/social frame, I do sort of agree with some reviewers (in the other Amazon sites) who maintain that the character of little Bruno was perhaps a bit implausible, considering his age (nine, not two or three) and the fact that he was the Nazi Commandant's son at Auschwitz -and for quite a long time-. But it does not matter, at least not to me. In fact I think that the author was able to convey the innocence of childhood in a very straightforward, raw and achingly touching way, which will linger on because of its wrenching final message. Well done. I would recommend this book for young readers too (14+).