Friday, January 20, 2012

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

This is Irish author, John Boyne's first novel for children. It is a touching story of a relationship between two boys under horrendous circumstances. The story begins in Berlin, it is 1942 and one day, the main character, Bruno returns home from school to discover that the family is moving to a new home. His father has received a promotion, however, Bruno finds their new home boring and there is really not a lot for him to do. He is confined to the immediate grounds of the house. However, he soon discovers there is many strange people housed in long huts behind a seemingly never ending fence. One day he decidesto explore this new environment and befriends a young boy named Schmuel who is living in circumstances completely different to his own. The story is told from Bruno's perspective with an air of innocence and I think that the harsh realities of the situation the two boys are in will only be appreciated by a mature reader with some knowledge of the Holocaust. This book has been made into a movie. To view the trailer click on the link below:

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