The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

By John Boyne

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas The author carefully calls this book a "fable" and one thinks of the Brothers Grimm, for although this has a"once upon a time" feel as Bruno tries to make sense of his new situation - often with humorous effect, the ending is like Hansel and Gretel, hand in hand in a dark and threatening place. John Boyne made Bruno's growing concern for Schmuel touching for the reader who knows what the end will be. A swift read.

The more I read it the more it brought home to me the stark horror of the wartime death camps and the matter of fact way that life went on. The children are tender without being treacly sentimental. The threat of the gas chambers seems to hover like it was distant though it is near so the readers are left to go on hoping for a happy ending that doesn't seem likely. This is a weird tale in an old fashioned way. The boys become friends in the most unusual circumstances 4/5

I liked the book very much. It was simple, easy to read and yet wonderful in portraying the mind and feelings of a young boy. We are totally absorbed in him as he wonders about the new situation he is in and he is so innocent about the German Reich. It is a wonderful portrayal of a thoughtful pleasant young child. A book well worth reading 5/5