The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Paperback

English language

Published Oct. 7, 2008 by David Fickling Books.

ISBN:
978-0-385-75189-6
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OCLC Number:
1325578546

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3 stars (3 reviews)

If you start to read this book, you will go on a journey with a nine-year-old boy named Bruno. (Though this isn't a book for nine-year-olds.) And sooner or later you will arrive with Bruno at a fence.

Fences like this exist all over the world. We hope you never have to encounter one.

72 editions

I have one word for this novel: Rubbish.

1 star

Here are my main issues with this book:

  1. The protagonist is 9-years old at the start; he's the child of a high-ranking Nazi official. Despite the fact his SISTER, who starts as 12-years old, knows what's happening, he has zero clue. Now, having worked with children, I'm about 100% certain if ONE child knows what's going on, then the OTHER child knows; it also makes no sense how he's so clueless about what his father does.

  2. His lack of knowledge makes his friendship with Shmuel feel absurd, not just because of the fact that his father is a high-ranking NAZI OFFICIAL (which also makes it feel ridiculous). He's making false equivalences that, even at 9-years old, he'd know are false equivalences. "Gee, I wish I could wear an armband! No one ever gave me one!" As if he'd have no clue what the Star of David is? Or the Nazi …

avatar for midnightnettle

rated it

4 stars
avatar for midnightnettle

rated it

4 stars