Just because a man glances up at the sky at night does not make him an astronomer, you know.

This statement holds a certain truth. Innocence at its finest can be seen in this simple yet profound thought.

The piece is a nice read. I read it mainly because of the movie and out of curiosity to know the ending in the book. The simplicity of the story is its charm, making it a one sitting novel. As the story progresses, the chaos and noise gradually fade away. In the end, what remains is a deafening quietness that leaves a lasting impact.

Stay safe everyone. This final line serves as a gentle reminder in these uncertain times. It makes us pause and think about the importance of our well-being and the well-being of those around us.

Overall, this short text offers a moment of reflection and a touch of literary beauty.

"We don't have the luxury of thinking." (13)

"You wear the right outfit and you feel like the person you're pretending to be." (205)

"Do you think that I would have made such a success of my life if I hadn't learned when to argue and when to keep my mouth shut and follow orders?" (49)

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas tells the story of Bruno, a nine-year-old German boy. His father is a commander in the Third Reich and is tasked with overseeing the horrific conditions at Auschwitz. Bruno, along with his father, mother, sister, and various servants, move from their cozy home in Berlin to a house on the outskirts of the prison. There, Bruno and his sister Gretel can see the unfortunate people living behind the fence. Without friends or much to do except study and read books, Bruno befriends Shmuel, a young Polish Jewish boy on the other side of the fence. The two meet up over a year or so, and although they seem different at first, they come to realize they have a lot in common. Author John Boyne aims to show the rather ignorant innocence and refusal to face facts of a part of the German population under the Third Reich (personified as Bruno), with mixed results.

While this book isn't historically accurate in some aspects of the camp conditions, as critics have pointed out, it could be argued that Boyne isn't trying to be accurate but rather introduce younger readers to the blind ignorance of people, organizations, governments, and countries through a horrific event in Western history. Auschwitz and the other death camps are a dark mark on humanity, and no words can fully describe the terrible conditions there. The cruelty to fellow humans on such a scale isn't unique to WWII and Germany. We often forget that there are historical and even contemporary events that resemble the fanaticism of that time. Understanding the complexities of the German psyche under the Third Reich is an opportunity to analyze our own societies, especially today with the rise of similar aggressive ideas, political parties, and governments. Instead of Auschwitz, Bruno pronounces it "Out-With" and calls the Führer "the fury." Mispronouncing these words serves an underlying purpose beyond Bruno's understanding. It's the misunderstanding that leads to a lack of common sense behind such terms, which people have when trying to achieve their ideal. In other words, "the ends justify the means," no matter how horrific those means are, as shown by Nazi propaganda and thought.

The book has its faults, even if the message is timely. The conclusion feels rushed and unfinished, and some of Bruno's observations are greatly exaggerated, even for a nine-year-old. However, the message of this book is powerful and purposeful enough to open the door for younger readers.

When I posted on IG last week that I was reading The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, I received quite a battering from one of my followers.

They firmly told me that I had no business reading such a problematic book and that I definitely shouldn't be promoting it. They also insisted that I should conduct much better research about the books I read and that I had an awful lot to learn as a person.

After that, they proceeded to tell me what a disappointment I was and that they would no longer be following me.

Do you research every book before you read it? Surely not.

And for the record, this book truly broke my heart. Told with such an innocent tone, it was just so painfully touching to read.

I would rate it 4 stars. It made me think deeply about the horrors of war and the innocence of children. Despite the criticism from that follower, I believe that this book has its own value and significance.

It can open our eyes to the past and make us cherish the present more.

3,5/5 Basic.....

It was very nice and sweet but unfortunately it didn't touch me.....I was expecting to be moved, shaken or something like that but it didn't......

In general, I was expecting something else and maybe I was a little disappointed........

I don't know what was wrong with me but I wanted to like it a little more..........

Otherwise, it was a joy. It was very pleasant to read and our protagonist/narrator, the 9-year-old Bruno, I found him adorable! As for the ending...I wasn't expecting something like that to happen! It was an ending that had all the qualities, not just to make me emotional, but to make me burst into tears! Unfortunately, not a single tear was shed.....and there I was disappointed......

Maybe it was the narration.............but maybe I wasn't in the mood either........

\\n  \\n    B.R.A.CE 2018: A book about war or in times of war\\n  \\n

Yet another movie I saw before I read the book. I cried during that movie! So of course, I cried during this damn book.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas was such a fantastic book. I loved the friendship between Bruno and Schmuel! This book also broke my heart into so many tiny pieces because it was set during the Holocaust in World War II. The horrors and atrocities of that time are vividly portrayed through the innocent eyes of Bruno.

Now since I've watched the movie countless times before I ever read this book once, I can gladly say that Bruno is still my favorite character. I loved how the story was told from his perspective. His curiosity, his innocence, and his unwavering friendship with Schmuel made him a truly endearing character. I cried every time I got near the ending of this book, as the tragic reality of their situation unfolded.

So, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is about Bruno and his family moving because his dad got a promotion. After he moves, Bruno gets bored quite easily and wants to go exploring. One day he meets Schmuel, a Jewish boy on the other side of the fence. Their friendship is built and lasts on innocence alone. I just loved their friendship and how Bruno asked so many questions throughout the book. He wanted to understand everything, even though the answers were often painful. I loved his family as well, but hated the viewpoints from his dad, who was a Nazi commandant.

The ending, damn that ending, broke me again and again. It always does and always will. I kind of want to re-watch the movie again, just to relive the emotions. This book will definitely be one of my favorites for a lifetime. It will always make me cry, but this point of history always tends to do that. I hate that people went through this. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a must-read and I recommend it to anyone and everyone who hasn't read it. It's a powerful and moving story that will stay with you long after you've finished reading.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is truly the book I have despised the most in my adult life, perhaps even throughout my entire life. I detested the main character, Bruno. I felt that the story lacked any real purpose. What irked me the most was the author's self-satisfied air, as if he had created some profound "Fable."

I loathed Bruno because he was a spoiled, selfish, and ignorant brat. The author's inconsistent portrayal of his ignorance was infuriating. At times, Bruno seemed to have some awareness of the war, but then he would display complete cluelessness. His lack of knowledge about Hitler and the Jews, when he was supposed to be nine years old, felt contrived and manipulative.

The author's use of the term "Out-with" instead of Auschwitz was a puzzling ploy. It either failed to convey the true horror to readers who were as ignorant as Bruno or came across as cutesy and evasive to those with some knowledge of the Holocaust. The ending was equally dissatisfying. Without prior knowledge of the Holocaust, readers would not understand the significance of Bruno's fate. And even with that knowledge, the story lacked clarity and impact.

If the author's intention was to use Bruno's ignorance as an allegory for the willful blindness of adult Germans during the war, he failed to execute it effectively. He should have shown Bruno's death scene more explicitly and made the main character more respectable, so that readers would care about his fate. As it stands, the book feels like a missed opportunity to convey a powerful message about the consequences of ignorance and indifference.

Overall, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas was a disappointment. It had the potential to be a moving and thought-provoking story, but it fell short in almost every aspect. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a meaningful and engaging read about the Holocaust.

The idea of substituting nonfiction accounts penned by Jewish authors with "more palatable" historical fiction such as this is truly abhorrent and perilous.

I am removing my previous review partly due to this very reason and also because I no longer hold the belief in what I initially wrote.

Books that specifically focus on Holocaust stories and yet de-center the Jewish perspective do not merit adulation.

Moreover, this author is a transphobe to boot.

No thank you.

It is essential to respect and preserve the authenticity and significance of historical events, especially those as tragic and impactful as the Holocaust.

Altering the narrative or marginalizing the voices of the Jewish people who endured such atrocities is not only disrespectful but also a disservice to history.

We must be vigilant in ensuring that the truth is told and that the experiences of the victims are remembered and honored.

I’d already read and enjoyed a number of Boyne’s novels.

Very recently, I received an invitation from Penguin Random House to read an early copy of the author’s upcoming book All the Broken Places.

When I read the blurb, I discovered that it’s actually a sequel to what’s probably his best known book.

That posed a bit of a problem as I hadn’t actually read this book.

The quick solution was to download an audio copy and tick that box.

Well, to say I wasn’t expecting such an emotional journey would be an understatement.

My wife and son had told me to expect a ‘very sad’ book, but this story really did punch me in the gut.

I won’t go into the story as nearly everybody already knows it and there are over thirty thousand reviews on this site alone.

However, I will say that my experience was definitely heightened by the superb reading performed by Michael Maloney.

At the end of the reading, there’s a slot (about 30 minutes long) in which Boyne is questioned on the book by its original publisher.

It’s a fascinating discussion that added an extra dimension to my appreciation of this work.

Boyne talks eloquently of how he set out to pit utmost evil against total naivety and use misunderstanding and misapprehension to draw the story out to its devastating conclusion.

He also discusses the negative reaction to this book and his response, which provides additional insight into his motivation and intention, further deepening my understanding.

It was a wonderfully impactful experience and I can’t wait to get into the sequel now.

Quick reread because, let's face it, I'm high-key obsessed with John Boyne. This is my seventh JB book in less than a month. When I hit my tenth, someone please stage an intervention. Lol.

I first read this years ago, so I forgot just how innocent the perspective of this story is. Which I think makes it even more haunting. We, as humans, are not born with hatred; it's something we learn and acquire throughout life. And what a horrible thing that is. To see how carefree a child can be in the most horrific of times is so heartbreaking, because it shows he doesn't have the capacity to see how truly monstrous humanity can be.

This story is definitely one to make your mind reflect and your heart ache. It makes you question the nature of good and evil, and how easily we can be influenced by the world around us. The innocence of the child's perspective serves as a stark contrast to the darkness and horror of the events unfolding. It's a powerful reminder that even in the worst of circumstances, there can still be a glimmer of hope and beauty.

↠ 4.5 stars

I'll give it this much.

Few books have had such an impact on me that they actually made me shake SHAKE in anger.

Wow. It's truly astonishing.

I think I need to go boil my eyeballs for a while just to try and wash away the frustration this book has caused.

What on earth was the author thinking?

It's as if they had no regard for the readers' feelings or expectations.

The plot was convoluted and made no sense, the characters were one-dimensional and unlikable, and the writing style was just plain bad.

I can't believe I wasted my time reading this.

It's a real disappointment and I would not recommend it to anyone.

I hope the author takes some time to reflect on their work and tries to improve in the future.

I had previously seen the adapted film of it, and now I have also read the book.

The experience of watching the film and reading the book is quite different. The film presents a visual盛宴, allowing us to directly see the vivid images and exciting scenes. It can bring a strong impact to our senses.

However, when reading the book, we have more space for imagination. We can use our own minds to picture the characters, the settings, and the details of the story. The words in the book can touch our hearts more deeply and make us feel the emotions and thoughts of the characters more vividly.

In conclusion, both the film and the book have their own unique charms. They can enrich our understanding and perception of the story, and bring us different kinds of enjoyment and inspiration.

The original article is not provided, so I can't rewrite and expand it specifically. However, I can give you a general example of how to expand an article.

Let's say the original article is: "The cat is on the mat."

Expanded version:

The small, fluffy cat is peacefully lying on the soft, colorful mat.

The cat seems to be enjoying the warmth and comfort of the mat, perhaps taking a nice nap.

Its eyes are closed, and its breathing is slow and steady.

The mat is placed in a corner of the room, providing a cozy spot for the cat to relax.

Overall, it's a simple yet charming scene of the cat and the mat.

If you can provide the original article, I'll be able to rewrite and expand it more accurately according to your requirements.