Media:Paperback Edition:Mti Reading Level:Young Adult Pages:240 Shipping Weight (lbs):0.4 Dimensions (in):7.9 x 5.2 x 0.4
ISBN:0385751893 EAN:9780385751896 ASIN:0385751893
Publication Date:October 28, 2008 Availability:Usually ships within 1 - 2 business days Shipping:International shipping available Condition:100% Brand New!
A Good Story, not History.November 18, 2008 hungarianjedi The author presents a good story in a lucid well written manner. The writing style starts off a bit awkward in terms of setting the scene and character introduction, but picks up quite well after a few pages.
I agree with a previous reviewer (on .com not .ca) that the story may not be 100% historically accurate when considering what a child of that age, at that time, and in that historical period may have done, known or understood. Having said that, the purpose of this book is to tell a story, rather than attempt to recount history accurately.
With the author breaking away from similar genre books and telling the story from the German perspective, it sheds light on what life may have been like from "outside the fence" through the eyes of a young man. For those that can immerse themselves in the book, the story manages to provide young and old readers alike with some food-for-thought in terms of considering the impacts or outcomes of personal decisions and their ripple effects (from either the parents' or from Bruno's perspective).
I had two issues with the book. In some parts (very minimal), I found the writing style borderline annoying. I highlight this issue without mentioning anything specific in the book - but a parallel example could be: John wasn't looking for his socks, gloves, coat, books, bag, watch, shirt, shoes, pencils, or sun glasses. He was looking for his hat.
Second, I was bothered by the political intonation of the very last sentence in the book, which I personally felt ruined the mood set in the preceding pages. To be sure, my issue is not with the message itself, just with how it abruptly brings the reader out of a pensive and emotional state that was built up nicely over the preceding couple of pages.
Overall, however, the book is an easy to follow story, quite an enjoyable and an interesting read for young, young adult and adult readers alike. I would certainly read it again.
Well Done!May 2, 2008 Steven R. McEvoy(Canada) 3 out of 5 found this review helpful
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!February 27, 2008 Bookaddict(Canada) 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
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!
A little gem of a bookNovember 13, 2007 I LOVE BOOKS(Italy) 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+).
Courtesy of Teens Read TooAugust 25, 2007 TeensReadToo.com(All Over the US & Canada) 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.
