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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
What really upset me about this book was that the copy i got was like in large print. And somehow I felt stupid while I read the few pages that I did read. Then i read all the bad reviews about it and realized it was going to be one of those little kid books(not literally)that thrives on a "cute" main character. I.E: saying/spelling words wrong, etc. I get it. I mean the boy is eight or something. Fine, I get it. But when concerning the Holocaust, i don't want to read that. It's just a little too...demeaning for those that died. I don't know. Anyway, i don't recommend this book if you're thinking on actually learning something about the Holocaust. It would be a waste of your time.
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book had a very interesting idea and main character. However, the narration felt overly simple at times, although it was at least partially due to the main character being a nine-year-old boy who is VERY naïve. In fact, he is so utterly oblivious to the society around him that I kept thinking whether someone could be so out of touch with their surroundings even if they were a young child who lived a highly privileged and over-sheltered life like Bruno does in this book. I find it very unlikely that a nine-year-old child whose father is a high-ranking Nazi could live in Nazi Germany and not know who Hitler is. Although this is commented on at least once in the story by Bruno's sister and one of the main points of the book is to show how harmful hiding the truth from children can be, it's just a bit too implausible, and the book suffers from it.
Bruno's naivete annoyed me quite a bit during the story, as did the (overly) emphatic innocence of the narration. For example, I don't think the word Nazi was mentioned once in the whole book. Still, there is no suspense or point in this unspoken context because it is clear from the beginning (and explicitly mentioned on the back cover too), so it's mostly feels like teasing the reader without a release.
Due to all this, the very abrupt and dark ending of the story took me completely by surprise. I did not expect it at all. It left me conflicted about what my opinion of this book is, and I'm still not quite sure. The ending is definitely worth four stars, but the book as a whole 3.5 at most.
Bruno's naivete annoyed me quite a bit during the story, as did the (overly) emphatic innocence of the narration. For example, I don't think the word Nazi was mentioned once in the whole book. Still, there is no suspense or point in this unspoken context because it is clear from the beginning (and explicitly mentioned on the back cover too), so it's mostly feels like teasing the reader without a release.
Due to all this, the very abrupt and dark ending of the story took me completely by surprise. I did not expect it at all. It left me conflicted about what my opinion of this book is, and I'm still not quite sure. The ending is definitely worth four stars, but the book as a whole 3.5 at most.
This book broke my heart into a million pieces. Why do we so easily forget the innocent canvas of our childhood minds? Why do simplicity and innocence and the little joys make way for pride, cruelty and corrupt belief systems?
Such a powerfully simple perspective of what is undoubtedly one of the worst phases of human history. The best books are the ones that are axes to the frozen sea of our souls. For that reason alone, I recommend that everyone read this book.
Such a powerfully simple perspective of what is undoubtedly one of the worst phases of human history. The best books are the ones that are axes to the frozen sea of our souls. For that reason alone, I recommend that everyone read this book.
It was really weird to read from the perspective of a nine year old but I loved it. Shmuel and Bruno's innocence and ignorance of the things that are happening around them broke my heart because I know this story has some truth in it, namely of the injustice that occurred during World War II. To experience this through the eyes of such a small child was even more poignant.
Also the end made me sob so hard in the train in front of everyone but I didn't care because I could not stop crying.
At the end the author states this could of course never have happened in our time, but it still is which makes this storry even sadder.
Also the end made me sob so hard in the train in front of everyone but I didn't care because I could not stop crying.
At the end the author states this could of course never have happened in our time, but it still is which makes this storry even sadder.