The Boy In The Striped Pajamas - Book Review

The Boy In The Striped Pajamas - Book Review - Incredible Opinions


The Boy In The Striped Pajamas ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Historical Fiction
Author:  John Boyne
Published in:  January 2006
Buy at:  Amazon

“Don't make it worse by thinking it's more painful than it actually is.” ― John Boyne, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Review

Four years ago when my brother convinced me to watch this movie, I watched it reluctantly because I knew that I would be shattered for a few days after watching this heart-wrenching story of the holocaust from a child's perspective.

I have read numerous books on the holocaust but this book offers a bit different from the others. The Boy In The Striped Pajamas is a fable written by John Boyne in which the atrocious holocaust is narrated from a nine-year-old boy's perspective. It is not for nine-year-olds though.

When nine-year-old Bruno learns that his family is moving from Berlin to Auschwitz, he immediately fears of isolation and separation from his three best friends. In Auschwitz, he becomes friends with Schmuel who is on the other side of the fence at the concentration camp. The author portrayed the friendship of two innocent boys, and two very different worlds, divided by a not so infallible fence.

One of the rare books for which I have already watched the movie but the book is equally compelling. The characters are strong and memorable. The author has brilliantly used dark puns like "Out-With" and "Fury" to show Bruno's innocence who doesn't understand some of the words used in the Nazi community.

It is an ingenious historical novel which is tragic as well as poignant. If you are on the emotional side of the spectrum, keep the box of tissues with you because this book is going to make you cry your heart out. No spoilers but the climax made me a great fan of John Boyne's work.

I loved the author's note at the beginning of the book in which he accepted the criticism gracefully and encouraged differing opinions prioritizing love and sympathy.

If you love historical fiction with another book on the holocaust and the perfect juxtaposition of innocence and ruthlessness, grab this book.

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