Customer Reviews: Read 99 more reviews...
 Save your time and money...... November 21, 2008
Bookworm (Niagara, Ontario)
The title is intriguing, but once you open the book, you will be most disappointed. The writing is poorly crafted, the main character too naive for words. I think this book must have somehow slipped past the copy editors--it reads like someone's first attempt at a book, where a kindly editor should have handed it back with lots of red pencil markings. As other reviewers have commented, the idea of a look at the Holocaust through the eyes of a child is intriguing, but this author botched the attempt. There are a number of non-fiction children's diaries of the Holocaust that are so much more worthwhile. I cannot believe this book has sold 3 million copies!
 A Good Story; Not History. November 18, 2008
hungarianjedi
The author presents a good story in a lucid well written manner. The writing style starts off a bit awkward in terms of setting the scene and character introduction, but picks up quite well after a few pages. br / br /I agree with a previous reviewer (on .com not .ca) that the story may not be 100% historically accurate when considering what a child of that age, at that time, and in that historical period may have done, known or understood. Having said that, the purpose of this book is to tell a story, rather than attempt to recount history accurately. br / br /With the author breaking away from similar genre books and telling the story from the German perspective, it sheds light on what life may have been like from "outside the fence" through the eyes of a young man. For those that can immerse themselves in the book, the story manages to provide young and old readers alike with some food-for-thought in terms of considering the impacts or outcomes of personal decisions and their ripple effects (from either the parents' or from Bruno's perspective). br / br /I had two issues with the book. In some parts (very minimal), I found the writing style borderline annoying. I highlight this issue without mentioning anything specific in the book - but a parallel example could be: John wasn't looking for his socks, gloves, coat, books, bag, watch, shirt, shoes, pencils, or sun glasses. He was looking for his hat. br / br /Second, I was bothered by the political intonation of the very last sentence in the book, which I personally felt ruined the mood set in the preceding pages. To be sure, my issue is not with the message itself, just with how it abruptly brings the reader out of a pensive and emotional state that was built up nicely over the preceding couple of pages. br / br /Overall, however, the book is an easy to follow story, quite an enjoyable and an interesting read for young, young adult and adult readers alike. I would certainly read it again.
 Excellent!! November 18, 2008
E. Smalley (Worcester, MA)
This book was incredible. I'm about to read it again. I'm sure that the negative reviewers who couldn't understand how Bruno didn't know what was going on around him read the book with the knowledge we have today about the holocost. Back then it wasn't uncommon for people to be unaware of the horrors of what was done to the Jewish people. I loved this book.
A Child's View of the Holocaust November 8, 2008
Dawn Martin (Colorado)
I really enjoyed this fictional account of the holocaust, through a innocent child's viewpoint. I agree with the other reviewers, who said that a child brought up in a Nazi household would have been taught about the Jewish people. However, the book is a fictional account. It is also written for a young adult audience, Boyne does a great job of giving a glimpse into the friendship of a Nazi and Jewish child, against the backdrop of a death camp. Boyne does not get too much into the violent aspects of the holocaust, which I think makes it great for young adult readers. I personally would even encourage my middle school students to read this book. Finally, I would also recommend this book to adults, who want an easy read, and who would be interested in a innocent fictional account of the holocaust. To go along with this book, try reading "The Book Theif", and "Number the Stars".The Book ThiefNumber the Stars
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas MOVIE Review from The Massie Twins November 7, 2008
thejoelmeister (www.GoneWithTheTwins.com)
The absolute high point of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is the attention to character development witnessed in every persona that appears onscreen. Thought-provoking and powerful, the backdrop of World War II, prison camps, and Nazis perfectly clash with the innocence of a child's mind and the injustice and compassion perceived through his eyes. At once painful, tear-jerking and deeply emotional, this is a film that cannot be easily forgotten. br / br /Little Bruno (Asa Butterfield) and his family relocate to the countryside and out of Berlin during World War II. Bruno's father (David Thewlis) has just received a promotion to oversee a German concentration camp, much to the disapproval of his politically forthright parents, which takes the family away from friends and comfort. Bruno is initially upset, especially with boredom due to the lack of other children around the secluded house they move to, but he secretly wanders outside to investigate his surroundings. br / br /Not far from the lonely home is the camp and its odd "farmers" who occasionally act as servants for the family. When Bruno works up the courage to travel to the gaunt resort, he meets Shmuel (Jack Scanlon) dressed in funny pajamas and looking glum. Soon the two consider themselves friends, even though they are separated by an electrified fence and can only meet in secrecy. Bruno brings food and games to play, but envisages himself as the unlucky one; he is tutored most of the day and trapped in a solitary fortress while Shmuel gets to roam freely (within the confines of the camp). Bruno's family life begins to falter when his mother (Vera Farmiga) discovers the true purpose of the camp and her husband's duties, and so he plots to join Shmuel in his search for his own missing father. br / br /James Horner's preeminent score gives extra depth and resonance to outstanding performances and dire depictions of a catastrophic period. The film is told through the eyes of an innocent boy, giving a considerably unique approach to a Holocaust film. Based on the novel by John Boyne, the film never delves into actual atrocities, but instead focuses on the misinterpretations of a child's mind and the innocent interactions with both dutiful Nazis and suffering prisoners. br / br /Every character is incredibly complex, from Jewish servant Pavel, who was once a doctor and now peels potatoes and serves drinks (Bruno can't understand why he'd give up his career), to Lieutenant Kotler, the intimidating German officer who shows no clemency to the Jews, yet carefully hides his own doubts about the orders he carries out. No supporting character is wasted, and each is perfectly portrayed by an incredibly talented cast. br / br /Some aspects of the film's realism are questionable, from the use of servants to Schmuel's age to young Bruno's naivete, but the message behind The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is nonetheless powerful and emotional. It's a difficult film to watch, but well paced and enlightening, despite the terribly bleak setting. The acting and character designs are simply phenomenal and unquestionably highlight this traumatizing World War II drama. br / br /- Mike Massie
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