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A review by salgalruns
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
3.0
Still pretty amazed that John Boyne was able to write a young adult story with such wonder about the Holocaust, I will never know. I found myself easily wrapped up in Bruno's life, and sighing with his innocence at the world around him.
Now, on the down side, if you read this as a true reflection of history, you will be sorely disappointed. Instead, read it more as a novel with elements of the Holocaust, and you're more apt to enjoy it. There are key points that drove me nuts, such as Bruno's terminology of "Out With" and "The Fury" (even though he was corrected multiple times yet never quite got it). BUT...if you suspend disbelief as many do when reading a novel, and look at him as insanely innocent and highly protected, you can sort of look past it. Okay, not completely, but for some reason I like the kid.
The author nailed it with the fact that children are so easily molded in their beliefs. I work with students daily, 9 year olds and 12 year olds... While elements of his sister rang true to those older sisters who are almost teenagers, he comes across as the clueless one. I agree with some of the other reviewers that it is strange that he doesn't understand much of what's going on around him AT ALL. Yes, you'd think he'd get it after his dad is so high up in the regime, or that soldiers are visiting, or that Hitler himself is having dinner with them, but nope. Not a clue.
Definitely an interesting read for discussion with kids. I'd be curious to see what middle schoolers thought of this book in it's relation to other books regarding the same time period.
Now, on the down side, if you read this as a true reflection of history, you will be sorely disappointed. Instead, read it more as a novel with elements of the Holocaust, and you're more apt to enjoy it. There are key points that drove me nuts, such as Bruno's terminology of "Out With" and "The Fury" (even though he was corrected multiple times yet never quite got it). BUT...if you suspend disbelief as many do when reading a novel, and look at him as insanely innocent and highly protected, you can sort of look past it. Okay, not completely, but for some reason I like the kid.
The author nailed it with the fact that children are so easily molded in their beliefs. I work with students daily, 9 year olds and 12 year olds... While elements of his sister rang true to those older sisters who are almost teenagers, he comes across as the clueless one. I agree with some of the other reviewers that it is strange that he doesn't understand much of what's going on around him AT ALL. Yes, you'd think he'd get it after his dad is so high up in the regime, or that soldiers are visiting, or that Hitler himself is having dinner with them, but nope. Not a clue.
Definitely an interesting read for discussion with kids. I'd be curious to see what middle schoolers thought of this book in it's relation to other books regarding the same time period.