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A review by effys
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
I’d like to start out by acknowledging this author being transphobic and that I do not support his views, I brought this book in a charity shop so I didn’t give any money to the author.
I thought this book was mediocre to be honest. I feel like Boyne actively avoided showing Nazis as bad and sort of tiptoed around having an opinion on Nazism which makes me think the worst of him. This felt like a bit of an infantilising read that treats the reader as stupid and I didn’t enjoy it, it felt like it was written to be read by a far younger audience than the topic would allow.
I wish I’d just watched the film to be honest as it would’ve taken the same amount of time.
I thought this book was mediocre to be honest. I feel like Boyne actively avoided showing Nazis as bad and sort of tiptoed around having an opinion on Nazism which makes me think the worst of him. This felt like a bit of an infantilising read that treats the reader as stupid and I didn’t enjoy it, it felt like it was written to be read by a far younger audience than the topic would allow.
I wish I’d just watched the film to be honest as it would’ve taken the same amount of time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide
Moderate: Antisemitism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, and Death