Review Detail

My review of The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas

The boy in the striped pyjamas is the fourth novel written by the Irish writer John Boyne and his first novel aimed at children. It is a tale about an odd friendship of two boys in horrendous circumstances.

Bruno is a nine year old boy growing up in Berlin in World War two. He lives in a big house with servants his mother father and his twelve year old sister Gretel. Brunos father is very important to the fury and wears a fancy uniform. One day Bruno comes home to find his father wearing a different yet still fancy uniform and the maid, Maria, packing his things into a trunk even the things at the back of his wardrobe that were nobody elses business. Brunos father then announces they are moving to a place called Out-with.

When Bruno gets there he immediately misses school, his old house and especially his three best friends Daniel, Karl and Martin. His new house is smaller and always full of soldiers and there is no one to play with. One day Bruno Had nothing to do so went into the forbidden back garden and saw on the other side of the fence a dot, that became a spec, that became a blob, that became a figure, that became a child.

I enjoyed this book and I believe it is best with some background knowledge of world war two. I prefer the book to the movie because I built up what the characters looked like and how they spoke in my head and then when I watched the movie it contradicted everything I had built up in my mind. However I think the movie would have been better if we hadnt read the book and spoilt the ending. I disliked the fact that the film is so undetailed around what happened in Berlin and before Bruno met Shmuel. I thought the ending in the book was a bit vague but I guess the author intended you to make up your own mind.

I would recommend this book to someone who is old enough to understand and truly appreciate it. It is a good read and I believe almost anyone old enough will enjoy it if they know a bit about world war two.