Reviews

All the Broken Places by John Boyne

Only show reviews with written explanations

aclopez6's review

5.0

A worthwhile read, though I agree with critics that have noted this is not a book for educating or teaching about the Holocaust or World War II. I will likely come back and add to this review after reflecting on it more, but for now, I would cautiously recommend this book to adult patrons looking for a multigenerational story about guilt, sacrifice, and honesty.

Boyne's authors note states that fiction, particularly that which relates to the Holocaust, has the burden of "exploring emotional truths and authentic human experiences while remembering that the story of every person who died in the Holocaust is one that is worth telling. For all the mistakes in her life, for all her complicity in evil, and for all her regrets, I believe that Gretel's story is also worth telling. It is up to the reader to decide whether it is worth reading".

emsunders's review

Go to review page

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

rachelkollar's review

Go to review page

dark reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

kourtjohnstone's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

4.0

If you’ve read The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, maybe on your own as an adult, or as a novel study in middle school, you will be familiar with the setting of this story: Poland in the 1940s. In this sequel, we hear from Gretel, who escapes Nazi Germany with her mother after the in hopes of starting a new life, free from the horrors of their past. This is a dual timeline so we get present day Gretel who is 91 years old and keeping her secrets very close to her heart, not letting anyone in.

I enjoyed this story so so much. I thought it was a seamless extension to the first book, and it is obvious that Boyne put a great deal of thought into how to inject little nuggets throughout, allowing us as the reader to be taken back to an extremely emotional time, but in Gretel’s shoes. He has crafted Gretel with such care that we can’t help but feel for her and the horrendous events she has witnessed. Highly recommend giving this one a shot, especially if you’ve read and enjoyed the Boy in the Striped Pajamas. I am very excited to pick up The Heart’s Invisible Furies by this very talented author!