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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
I didn't liked this book very much. I felt it was reppetetive but then also it was from a perspective of a child so it was kind of fair.
Didn't liked this book very much. It was kind of reppetetive but then it was from a child's perspective so it was Okay.
I usually don't read the sleeves of books anyway, I like to be surprised by what they're about, but in this case, I did happen to know about the summary of this one. And I knew I was probably in for a bit of a rough time anyway. When the book description doesn't actually tell you what the book is about, but instead says something about how heartfelt and meaningful it is, and how you should read it to find out yourself, you should probably be a little suspicious of the actual intentions behind the book.
I'm so glad this child is nine. He sounds exactly like a nine year old. /sarcasm (you can make the excuse that he's as naive as the German population was, and that's fine, but that makes him a metaphor, not a character, and I'm not Fully Certain that's what Boyne was after; I think he really did want to write the next big thing and have all the cake slices in one go.)
This book, in the name of being naïve and twee, feels insulting and award grabbing and fake and horrible. Characters feel disingenuous, the scenario feels trivializing, and the ending is simply flummoxing.
I'm disappointed this insipid read has any ground. It feels like Holocaust by way of Hallmark, and I feel sick having read it.
I'm so glad this child is nine. He sounds exactly like a nine year old. /sarcasm (you can make the excuse that he's as naive as the German population was, and that's fine, but that makes him a metaphor, not a character, and I'm not Fully Certain that's what Boyne was after; I think he really did want to write the next big thing and have all the cake slices in one go.)
This book, in the name of being naïve and twee, feels insulting and award grabbing and fake and horrible. Characters feel disingenuous, the scenario feels trivializing, and the ending is simply flummoxing.
I'm disappointed this insipid read has any ground. It feels like Holocaust by way of Hallmark, and I feel sick having read it.
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's good, I cried. And I cried more because his dad's subordinate looks hot, Gretel was right
“What exactly was the difference? He wondered to himself. And who decided which people wore the striped pyjamas and which people wore the uniforms?”
This story has been one of my favourite movies for the past couple of years, so when I finally picked it up for a read, I was so happy it reached my expectations. Since I did watch the movie first, I do feel like I was removed from the complete impact of the story, but I still enjoyed this thoroughly! I don’t read too much historical fiction or any books about WW2, but this book might’ve convinced me to start reading some more!
Bruna, Shmuel, Gretel and all of the other characters were written so well and the innocence of the narration just makes the overall impact that much more heart-wrenching. Seeing how Bruno interacts with Shmuel is so sweet and heart-whelming, and hearing Bruno reassure Shmuel that they were ‘best friends for life’, made me tear up. I also really appreciated the hints that John Boyne puts into the book that Bruno doesn’t understand but the reader does with knowing the history of the holocaust. The only thing I didn’t love about this book was that it had a slow start. We don’t meet Shmuel until chapter 10, so the plot doesn’t start to pick up until halfway through the book.
Other than a few critiques, this is an absolutely stunning novel, and a book I will continue to recommend to anyone interested in historical fiction!
4.5/5 stars!
This story has been one of my favourite movies for the past couple of years, so when I finally picked it up for a read, I was so happy it reached my expectations. Since I did watch the movie first, I do feel like I was removed from the complete impact of the story, but I still enjoyed this thoroughly! I don’t read too much historical fiction or any books about WW2, but this book might’ve convinced me to start reading some more!
Bruna, Shmuel, Gretel and all of the other characters were written so well and the innocence of the narration just makes the overall impact that much more heart-wrenching. Seeing how Bruno interacts with Shmuel is so sweet and heart-whelming, and hearing Bruno reassure Shmuel that they were ‘best friends for life’, made me tear up. I also really appreciated the hints that John Boyne puts into the book that Bruno doesn’t understand but the reader does with knowing the history of the holocaust. The only thing I didn’t love about this book was that it had a slow start. We don’t meet Shmuel until chapter 10, so the plot doesn’t start to pick up until halfway through the book.
Other than a few critiques, this is an absolutely stunning novel, and a book I will continue to recommend to anyone interested in historical fiction!
4.5/5 stars!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'M SORRY FOR SAYING THIS,BUT THE MOVIE WAS BETTER.
In the book there were a lot of things unexplained which I think the author wanted the readers to find out for themselves (what happened during the Holocaust,the conflict between the Nazis and the Jews,how Bruno keeps mispronouncing the words etc.)while in the movie,almost everything was explained and the actors deserved their roles.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT I DID NOT LIKE THE BOOK/STORY.
THE STORY IS PRETTY MUCH UNIQUE,REALLY.
Imagine if those two ordinary but totally different boys found so much in common and then CHANGED HISTORY?
YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE HOW MANY TIMES I'VE CRIED DURING THE MOVIE.
IT WAS PERFECT.
In the book there were a lot of things unexplained which I think the author wanted the readers to find out for themselves (what happened during the Holocaust,the conflict between the Nazis and the Jews,how Bruno keeps mispronouncing the words etc.)while in the movie,almost everything was explained and the actors deserved their roles.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT I DID NOT LIKE THE BOOK/STORY.
THE STORY IS PRETTY MUCH UNIQUE,REALLY.
Imagine if those two ordinary but totally different boys found so much in common and then CHANGED HISTORY?
YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE HOW MANY TIMES I'VE CRIED DURING THE MOVIE.
IT WAS PERFECT.
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character