The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

One of the best books I have ever read.

Would you listen to The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas again? Why?

Yes. Loved the reader and characters.

What other book might you compare The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas to, and why?

Buddha in the attic and Farm and War Horse.

Which character – as performed by Michael Maloney – was your favourite?

Shmoul.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes but I don't have the time.

21 people found this helpful

Listened on the way to Auschwitz

My mother and sister both loved this book and I chose to listen to it on the way to and from visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau today. I understand the positive reviews at a simplistic level but I can’t reconcile what I saw and heard during my visit with this story. Today I saw the Kommandant’s house, which overlooks the gas chamber and crematorium and heard how Hoess described the view as ‘paradise’. I heard about the lives of men, women and children who would never have been allowed to sit by the [electrified] fence day after day and I just can’t put this story together with that, even as a fable. I don’t think it’s a starting point for children, especially modern ones desensitised by all that they see and hear, although I applaud the author’s efforts to start that conversation. For me, the innocence and naivety of this story are completely irreconcilable and discordant with the things that I saw and heard today but I wish it were not so.

3 people found this helpful

An important and terrifying fable still relevant

It's probably quite important to understand that this is a novel and so there is a lot of artistic license taken with it by the author. That being said the main protagonist, nine-year-old Bruno was brilliantly written, a great juxtaposition of unwaning innocence and extreme cruelty in a time of brutality.

Having visited Auschwitz myself, the naive descriptions of the young boy is gut churning especially as he is so unaware of his fate. The reader does a great job in performing the role of an innocent child.

The most significant chapter, however, is the last one where the author himself describes the reasoning for his decisions as many feel that it was unrealistic and a little insensitive in dealing with the subject matter. It is a moral story about complacency and how easy it is to fall into patterns, so it is essential to read with an open mind.

3 people found this helpful

I'm Now The Man With Striped Feelings!

When I read some of the rather angry reactions to this book that have appeared on sites like Goodreads coupled with the effusive praise that the majority of readers documented for it I thought I saw the signs of intriguing literature in The Boy With Striped Pyjamas. Even though it's billed as a Young Adult book I thought that to have provoked so much strong reaction there must be a lot of interest even to us (ahem!) older sorts too.

So that's how I found myself being carried along inside the mind of nine year old Bruno who did seem to come across as younger to me. A bit too innocent and naive maybe. Then again the book is described as a fable and that's exactly what it turns out to be. It's a moving story of childish curiosity and innocence being thrown hard up against the wall of the worst sort of evil that mankind has produced.

It really does take liberties with the history though and as the author and publisher explain in a fascinating interview at the end this was deliberate and why they billed it as a fable. There are obvious question marks over the approach and whether it weakens the historical message of the holocaust and these nagged at me all the way through. However, in that final interview Boyne very eloquently talks through his reasoning and gives a largely compelling case for his approach though it won't satisfy everyone.

If you accept the nature of a fable for this story though it's a moving, almost heartbreaking tale with a very dramatic ending that juxtaposes justice and injustice into a single tragic event. If you accept this for what it is you will be rewarded with an emotional and thought-provoking story.

6 people found this helpful

Wonderful

Don’t look up anything about this book before you listen as you may hit some spoilers as I did! Was a great and moving story

1 person found this helpful

poignant reveal of a double edged sword

to watch the film would have taken away the heart of this book. it is sad theres no denying but it also has innocence which we can hope alleviates our two young characters trauma.

Must Read

Well written and will narrated. Incredibly sad story 💔. Read/listened with my teenage son - moved.

Touching

a sad and touching story. very well written. I had to stop when I realised what was going to happen. it took a while for me to prepare before I could finish it

Great Book

Loved this book. Bruno is an adventurous little boy, who befriends a little boy on the other side of the fence. A beautiful, non judgemental friendship. Unbeknown to Bruno why his friend is there, he visits him regularly, until one day he takes his visit and exploring one step too far...

A great story to share

I listened to this with my 11 year old son and we both really enjoyed it