http_wand3rl_st 's review for:

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
4.0
challenging reflective sad tense fast-paced
This book was a required read for many in school - but not me. I experienced this story for the first time at age 25. Knowing this novel was aimed toward a younger demographic, it still had a punch. There is a lot to reflect on and unpack. I avoided the movie all these years so I had not known what took place aside from the theme of one boy on either side of the fence. I understand why this book is so important for young readers and would encourage my own child to read through it at a certain age. What particularly stands out as I read through this book in 2025, is how haunting the final sentence is [spoiler] “Of course all of this happened a long time ago and nothing like that could happen again. Not in this day and age.” Seeing the rise in authoritarianism across the US, the dehumanizing immigration policies and unlawful acts of detention by ICE officers - very much echos the message in this book, which was hard to digest. 
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