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A review by bink_64
All the Broken Places by John Boyne
4.0
This was a difficult read due to the subject matter. Domestic violence, child abuse, Holocaust. I did not realize this was a sequel to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas which I have not read but is on my list. It is the story of his sister, Gretel, who is German, the daughter of a high ranking officer of the Nazi party. She and her family lived at a concentration camp, she was witness to what occurred there. She and her mother escaped and lived a life in hiding. She is now 97, living in London and this is her story.
I had a hard time with Gretel. It is hard to look at the story of the Holocaust from the perspective of a German who was living at a concentration camp. She was 12, she knew right from wrong... and yet, it shows just how easily those in power can twist the narrative and blind our morals to what is right. Like sheep we get in line and follow along. All of her life was conflicted by what she saw and did, good versus evil and her part she played in it. She did suffer many mental issues but yet you still thought, she is living free, is this right? Maybe in the end justice was served.. I won't spoil it!
I had a hard time with Gretel. It is hard to look at the story of the Holocaust from the perspective of a German who was living at a concentration camp. She was 12, she knew right from wrong... and yet, it shows just how easily those in power can twist the narrative and blind our morals to what is right. Like sheep we get in line and follow along. All of her life was conflicted by what she saw and did, good versus evil and her part she played in it. She did suffer many mental issues but yet you still thought, she is living free, is this right? Maybe in the end justice was served.. I won't spoil it!