The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
Having seen The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne being reviewed by bloggers, I knew I wanted to read it sometime. But when I saw this book sitting on the library shelf, it screamed at me, “pick me, pick me!” How can I say no when a book just screams at you, begging to be taken home and read.
To tell you the truth I had NO idea what this book was about. I knew nothing about the subject matter, when it took place, etc. I hate knowing too much about a book before I read it, so I purposely glance through the reviews and then go back and read them in full after I’ve read the book. So in keeping that I knew nothing about the book and in keeping with the fact that this is what the dust jacket says, I will not summarize this book in any way:
The story of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is very difficult to describe. Usually we give some clues about the book on the jacket, but in this case we think that would spil the reading of the book. We think it is important that you start to read without knowing what it is about.
If you do start to read this book, you will go on a journey with a nine-year0old boy called Bruno. (Though this isn’t a book for nine-year-olds.) And sooner or later you will arrive with Bruno at a fence.
Fences like this exist all over the world. We hope you never have to encounter such a fence.
If I was smarter, I probably could have figured out what this book was about from the dust jacket. But to tell you the truth I was on page 20 when I realized where this story was headed.
I did think that Bruno, the main character in the story, was much to ignorant and niave for a nine-year old, which is what this book (among some other things I can’t give away) is about. I think any nine-year old would have been smarter than this kid. I’d believe it if maybe he were about six or so. His ignorance isn’t good for him and I could not believe how the book ended! I was shocked. And I didn’t even feel sorry for his father.
So based on the fact that I haven’t given you any details about this book, I would highly recommend that you go and get it. This book is currently being made into a movie. But I couldn’t find a release date for here in the U.S., just Ireland and the U.K. I hope it comes here, I am curious to how it would play out on screen.
Visit John Boyne’s website. Book club and discussion questions for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas available from BookBrowse.
You may purchase The Boy in the Striped Pajamas from my BookWise bookstore for $8.09. It’s fast and it’s easy! Your book will be shipped to you from your nearest Baker and Taylor fulfillment warehouse.
Happy reading!
I’m not sure how I feel about the movie of this one. I don’t know how they can keep that ending really.
on March 11th, 2008 at 9:41 pmI’ve seen so many blog reviews about this book, I think it’s going to scream at me next time I walk by it on the shelf. Must read!
on March 12th, 2008 at 6:27 amI read this book in January and it has really stuck with me. I agree, Bruno wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer, but it didn’t distract me from appreciating such an interesting book.
on March 12th, 2008 at 9:41 amI been wishy-washy on whether to pick this one up or not. Thanks for the push!
on March 13th, 2008 at 6:54 amMarg - Subject matters like this are always hard to see on the big movie screen. I think they could get away with the ending, if it’s done right.
Jeane - Well, I hope you walk across it sometime soon then!
Stephanie - I liked that although this book was such a difficult subject matter that it was done tastefully. It wasn’t crude or horrifying like so many other books. It did give the realism of a nine year old narrator. I agree, this is one that will stick with me for a while.
Joy - I hope you like it. I look forward to reading your review when I do.
on March 13th, 2008 at 2:30 pmI have this book on my TBR list because of the intriguing reviews I’ve read. Does your store have a website to order from?
on March 15th, 2008 at 6:56 amFramed - I hope you like this book and look forward to reading your review when you do. You may visit my online bookstore by clicking on “Visit my Bookstore” at the top of this page or by visiting http://www.mybookwise.com/mawbooks directly. Creating an account is absolutely free (similar to creating an amazon account) with no obligation.
My bookstore just launched the beginning of January and many titles are still in the process of being uploaded, so if you can’t find a title you’re looking for now, chances are you will in the future. Our fulfillment house is Baker and Taylor, the country’s largest provider of books, movies, and video games in the country. I will soon have access to their entire 1.5 million titles.
My bookstore pages also lists all the benefits of becoming a preferred customer. Feel free to contact me at natasha(at)mawbooks(dot)com if you have any more questions. Thanks for your interest!
on March 15th, 2008 at 9:50 ami read this one last year and absolutely loved it! i’m glad you liked it too. i hope that the film version will be true to the “fable”-aspect of the story and not try to take it too literally.
on March 15th, 2008 at 1:49 pmI have this on my TBR list. Must get to it.
on March 16th, 2008 at 1:40 pmhey! Thanks for swinging by my blog. I have the hardcover book without the dustjacket so I went online and found what was written on a dustjacket. Perhaps it was wrong? Was yours different?
So they’re making this into a movie? Don’t think I’ll see. I don’t think they’ll do a good job. They’d be too soft (probably)
on March 22nd, 2008 at 5:11 amalisonwonderland - I agree, I do like that it’s a fable.
booklogged - I look forward to your review when you read it!
Juli - The dust jacket says what I have blocked off in the post above, basically about how it’s best to not know anything about the book before reading it, which I was glad I didn’t know anything, it made the twists and turns more exciting.
on March 22nd, 2008 at 11:24 amI’m very curious about this book. Need to get it on my huge “too read” list.
on April 18th, 2008 at 10:52 am**SPOILER** This books ending was sad. i got so used to buno and shumuel ( i hope i spelled that right). It was sad because they were best friends and they died together.
on April 18th, 2008 at 12:27 pmi am very intrigued by your review….. i’m going to have to see if my local library has this book and if not possibly put in for a transfer.
thanks again for a great review and it’s definitely going on my tbr list
on April 24th, 2008 at 7:05 amSherry - It’s a really fast read. It wouldn’t take anytime at all to get it crossed off your list.
Cody - Yes, very sad.
Brittany - Oh, read it! Let me know what you think.
on April 26th, 2008 at 11:35 pmOMG that has to be the most boring book i’ve ever read and i’ve read a lot of books. I think the author, though he was writing it through the eyes of such a young child, could have made it a tad more emotional, interesting and maybe a bit more realistic. Now don’t get me wrong, the story line was good but i think the way the author expressed Bruno’s views on what was happening wasn’t as childlike as it could have been. By this i mean that it was too simple. The ending was very sudden and emotional but wasn’t quite as dramatic as i thought it might be. Miss Upton asked me …”too simple” to be childlike? Isn’t that the whole point? How do you think Boyne could have done it differently?
Ok I think it was too simple. By this I mean that children see the world in more detail than what the author expressed. Bruno is a 9 year old character. Yes children are naive and quite ignorant but seeing as Bruno is supposed to be 9 I just think the Author could have expressed his views in a bit more detail. On the other hand I guess it depends on the child. When i was reading the story I took the place of Bruno and tried to see it from his perspective. I even pretended I was a 9 year old again but no matter how hard I thought about it, Bruno views didn’t seem quite proper.
When i was 9 i had strong opinions on the world and if i was put in bruno’s position at that age i would have seen it from a different perspective. I guess like i said earlier it depends on the child and their mental capacity. I guess it also depends on the way a child thinks. My opinion on things is different to other peoples which shows that people see the world differently. So maybe to the author that is how a child like Bruno would see the situation but to me it just didn’t seem right.
I dunno just my opinion
on May 14th, 2008 at 1:50 amI’ve just recently finished “The Boy In The Striped Pajamas” in my English class at school.
on May 16th, 2008 at 9:03 amPersonally i really liked it,and i think the other people in my class did too.I don’t find it boring at all.But i do think the last chapter could have been longer and more intresting.
Im not sure about a movie being made..i think it’ll just spoil the book.All in all though,i really do love this book and the message it gets across about friendship..even in the worst of causes.
Lil Miss K - Thanks for your thoughts! I love commentary. I don’t think it was boring although I did find myself impatient with Bruno’s ignorance. This book was written as a fable and I think that the story and the way it was written was very appropriate for it’s type of storytelling.
Shannon - When I got to the last chapter I think I was covering my mouth the whole time. I couldn’t believe what was happening. Thanks for commenting!
on May 16th, 2008 at 9:13 amI just read this book and Whoa! Craziness! I wanted to kick that little Bruno in the shins for being so ignorant. I did not like him at all, and yet…
The power of the book, for me, was not Bruno or Schmuel’s story, but the more general implications about the way children experience war, and the quiet way a person in power can be brought to their knees.
on June 10th, 2008 at 4:10 pmOh, I know how ti feels like to have a book practically ’screaming’ at me to read it! I might just as well scream back ‘Just be patient!’ at it!
By the way, this book got me thinking a lot. I’ll also never forget the ending. I can’t wait for the movie to come out.
Last night, I finished this book and felt quite chilly, I don’t know why. Probably because I imagined what it was like to be in Bruno’s and Shmuel’s shoes (though they weren’t wearing any).
It’s definitely an unforgettable book. Here’s my review of it!
on June 12th, 2008 at 7:26 amCharley - Bruno does get to you doesn’t he. But I think that’s what the author was going for.
Josette - Glad to know that I’m not the only one who has books “talk” to them. I can’t wait for the movie as well. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.
on June 14th, 2008 at 4:35 pmi haven’t read the book
but i will be reading later on
on June 26th, 2008 at 3:45 pmWe pretty much have the same opinion of this book. Glad I read it. Again, thanks for the push.
on June 29th, 2008 at 11:41 amHi, I just pop in your library.
on July 1st, 2008 at 5:58 amThis books is over my expectation after reading it and felt like someone stole my happiness…
Have you figured out what are those personal and secret stuff that hid in the closet belonged by Bruno?
this book is an amazing book quite a scarey book and very upsetting but overall i would deffinatly recomend this to anyone
luv yall x x
on July 14th, 2008 at 4:59 amcant wait to read this book it sounds good
on July 21st, 2008 at 9:18 amI heaps enjoyed this book, i read it for english.
on July 22nd, 2008 at 2:57 ami’m now doing an essay on whether i think it’s more for adults or children.
i’m very confused still, and need to find lots of quotes to support my ideas.
This book was pretty good! If you liked this one I think you should diffently read milkweed. Gosh, that one shook me, I liked it more then this one. its also about a kid but he has no idea who he is at all. (i dunno if im saying to much…) its set in the warsaw ghettos.
but for boy in the striped pyjamas. i liked how it had little plays on words (the words Bruno couldn’t pronounce or didnt understand). it was like black humour. sad realli. i cant wait for the movie! ah! i really hope they dont choose bad actors.
on August 3rd, 2008 at 4:32 am[…] singela. No entanto, vou ter de concordar com alguns comentários que li na net (nomeadamente com este): o personagem principal é demasiado ingénuo para a idade que é indicada (9 anos), para mim ele […]
on August 13th, 2008 at 8:17 amI had to read this for class…I loved it!
on August 17th, 2008 at 11:49 amI have read it, in fact i have just finish reading it.
The fact that it didnt tell you what the book was about made be buy it, it was a mystery to be solved.
When i read the first few chapters, iw as jsut looking at the cover, and since i have studied about the holocaust at school and still am (i’m 15, 16 in jan) it clicked that this book was about teh holocaust, beucase they wore striped pyjamas, without begin told that it was.
I really warmed to the characters and its the first what i call propper book that i have read since phillip pullmans triology (northen lights, subtle knife, amber spyglass)
****SPOILER****
When Bruno did die in the end i was weaping bucket, well there is no surprise there since i do cry over things such as funeals of animals on the tv..yeh xD
Well i dont think i would of understood this book if i didnt have a clue about the holocaust in great detail maybe that is why i got so upset?
I did get an A* in my holocaust coursewokr (oh yeh!! which i am very proud of) i havent read you review yet, i will be doing now, i just HAD to comment first.
Love katie
on August 17th, 2008 at 5:29 pmwww.embrrace.com
OMG there is a film of this in the UK?? oh my i am living in the UK OMG I WANT TO BUY IT!!! i am now offically a fan of this book!
x
on August 17th, 2008 at 5:31 pmSorry for commenting three times in a row,
when you spoke about Bruno being more likea six year old i disagree,
It seems to be the reason why he is so ignorent if the fact that he has grown up in such a ‘posh’ enviroment with servents etc..
And that it seems that no one tells him anything, he trys to understand get information out of his family memeber and servants but doesnt get anywere which makes me feel as if thats where he learnt to be ignernt from.
I didnt feel sorry for the father since he was an officer and was part of this camp therefore desered punishment. I did feel sorry for the mother and sister though.
Also just a question, did the lieutenant kotler have some kind of affaire with the mother because they had alot of ‘private’ moments and then the mother and father had an argument and he was sent away…i was just woundering if you though that as well?
reply on my site =)
embrrace.com x
ps. sorry for the bad typing and spelling =S
on August 17th, 2008 at 5:35 pmThanks for the comment.
Offt i am glad that i wasnt the only one to suspect an affair going on =)
Yeh i looked at the link on your book review about John boyne site and the trailer was there =)
is it out or just coming out soon xD?
katie
on August 17th, 2008 at 6:04 pmembrrace.com