There are numerous perceptive reviews on this piece of sensationalist, poorly written, and idiotic Disneyfication of the Holocaust on Goodreads. I have nothing further to contribute to the criticism, except that I truly hope it can be removed from the school curriculum.

Here are my proposed replacements:

Upon the Head of the Goat: A Childhood in Hungary 1939-1944

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit

A Day of Pleasure: Stories of a Boy Growing Up in Warsaw

And of course, for more mature students, I highly recommend Anne Frank, Elie Wiesel, and other authentic witness accounts.

The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas is a blatant money-making scheme lacking in writing skill, depth, nuance, finesse, basic historical knowledge, and an understanding of children's cognitive levels at age 9. It also completely无视ethical guidelines.

Regrettably, the target audience consists of a generation of parents, teachers, and children who have become detached from complex historical and linguistic knowledge and require a simplistic, fictionalized, and shockingly inaccurate portrayal of World War II to maintain their attention. In my view, this is unacceptable. Instead of succumbing to a lower level of comprehension, we must exert additional effort to reach the same reading level as previous generations of children! We cannot afford to lose the battle for literacy, as it would mean forfeiting the fight for historical knowledge and distinctions.

As Michael Kors once sighed to a clueless designer on Project Runway: Where do I start?

Let's begin by using some descriptive words to summarize this book, and then I will explain them in greater detail: Patronizing. Insipid. Smarmy. Just plain bad.

Patronizing: I firmly believe that to create good children's literature, one must consider children as intelligent and capable individuals who are worthy of being written for - like Stephen King, who perhaps thinks kids are even smarter than adults. However, the author of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, John Boyne, clearly holds the view that children are idiots. The main character, Bruno, is supposed to be nine years old, but compared to him, Danny Torrance from The Shining (who was six) seems like a Mensa member. There is a difference between childlike naivety and Bruno's extreme lack of observation and perception. In fact, I started to wonder if he was supposed to be mentally deficient in some way. And he is not the only child who is treated with Boyne's withering scorn and condescension. Consider this scene between Bruno and his sister Gretel. They have just moved to their house at "Out-With" (as Bruno insists on calling it, despite being corrected numerous times and seeing the name written down), and they are wondering how long they will stay there. Bruno's father, a commandant in charge of the camp, has told the kids that they will be there "for the foreseeable future," and Bruno doesn't understand what that means.

"'It means weeks from now,' Gretel said with an intelligent nod of her head. 'Perhaps as long as three.'"

Gretel is twelve years old, by the way. TWELVE. Do you see what I mean about Boyne thinking kids are morons?

Insipid And Smarmy: This book was not intended for kids to read. It is aimed at adults who already know about the Holocaust, so they can read it and sigh over the precious innocent children's adorable misunderstanding of the horrible events surrounding them and how they still remain innocent. Uuuuuuggggggghhhhh. There is a scene towards the end where Bruno puts on a pair of the "striped pajamas" so he can visit his friend on the other side of the fence. Bruno has had lice, so his head is shaved. When he puts on the pajamas, the Jewish boy observes him, and the narration commits the following Hallmark-worthy atrocity: "If it wasn't for the fact that Bruno was nowhere near as skinny as the boys on his side of the fence, and not quite so pale either, it would have been difficult to tell them apart. It was almost (Shmuel thought) as if they were all exactly the same really."

YES JOHN BOYNE I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE.

Just Plain Bad: Technically, this book is historical fiction, but I will not place it on my history shelf because there is nothing historical in it. Bruno is supposed to have grown up in Nazi Germany, the son of a high-ranking SS officer, but based on his knowledge of everything, he might as well have spent his entire nine years sitting inside with his eyes shut, humming loudly while covering his ears. Okay, I understand that he wouldn't know about the concentration camps - hardly anyone did at that point. But there are other things: Bruno consistently (and adorably!) mispronounces the Fuhrer as "the Fury" (I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE JOHN BOYNE), and he doesn't recognize the following key words and phrases: Jews, Fatherland, Heil Hitler. What. The fuck. Okay, so maybe this kid is too young to be in Hitler Youth (although his sister isn't, but for some reason she's not in it either), but come on - he thinks "Heil Hitler" is just a polite way to end a conversation. A nine-year-old boy growing up in a military household in Nazi Germany doesn't know what Heil Hitler means.

All of this leads back to my original thesis: John Boyne thinks that children are idiots.

Look, Boyne: Just because you don't understand anything (history, children, good writing) doesn't mean the rest of us are quite so useless. Go cash your checks for that awful movie adaptation they made of this book and never attempt to make a statement about anything ever again, please.

Read for: Social Justice in Young Adult Literature

Stunned.

I'm sitting at my desk in the middle school where I teach, trying hard to fight back the depression that has settled in. This book has truly taken me by surprise. In my classes, we are reading books about social issues, and I had always wanted to read this particular one. And yes, you KNOW it's about the Holocaust, but as you start reading it, for some reason, you convince yourself that surely nothing really BAD will happen. But deep down, you know that's just a lie. You know that something terrible is inevitable.

That's the power of this book. It lures you in with a false sense of security and then hits you with the harsh reality. I'm sure there's so much more to this story that I haven't even begun to uncover. I will definitely write more about it later as I continue to delve deeper into its pages.

I do not pronounce on the literary quality of this book, but the approach of the work is abominable.

The Holocaust has already offered us the absurd; it can well do without the absurdity of impossibilities.

If it can be "barbaric" to fictionalize about Auschwitz, it will always be obscene to fantasize.

We must remember the real horror and tragedy of the Holocaust and not distort or fictionalize it in inappropriate ways.

It is a solemn and important event in history that demands our respect and remembrance.

Any attempt to use it for entertainment or to create something that is not in line with the truth is a desecration of the memories of the victims.

We should always strive to present the Holocaust in a way that is accurate and respectful, so that future generations can understand the true nature of this atrocity.

I am bawling my eyes out.

John Boyne, thank you so very much for writing this remarkable piece. ❤️

I have read numerous books about the Holocaust. As a German, I have been confronted with this topic from a very early age.

And this book is by far my absolute favorite.

I am deeply in love with the beautiful bond that Schmuel and Bruno share.

Bruno's innocence is truly endearing.

While reading some particular scenes, I have felt an overwhelming sense of guilt for what my country once did.

I wish with all my heart that I could somehow undo all the horribly tragic things that happened to innocent people.

This includes all those who were affected by the Holocaust, not just the Jews.

It is a heavy burden to carry, but it is also a responsibility to remember and ensure that such atrocities never happen again.

I am forever changed by this book and will cherish it always.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Genre: Historical Fiction + Young Adult

The narrative's plot unfolds during World War II. It centers on an unusual bond that forms between two young boys who reside on opposite sides of a fence that segregates a concentration camp. Bruno, a nine-year-old German boy, is the main protagonist of the story. His father, Ralf, is a high-ranking Nazi official in the Third Reich. When Ralf is tasked with being the commandant of a concentration camp, Bruno's family has to abandon their comfortable home in Berlin and relocate to a desolate area called "Out-With."

Bruno, feeling isolated and bored in his new surroundings, decides to venture outside the garden of his new home. There, he stumbles upon a massive fence. Peering through the gap in the fence, he spots a small Jewish boy named Shmuel, dressed in striped pajamas. Bruno strikes up a friendship with Shmuel, both out of curiosity and due to his ignorance of the atrocities happening on the other side.

As the story progresses, Bruno's naiveté is sharply contrasted with the brutal reality of the Holocaust. Through his interactions with Shmuel, Bruno begins to question the ideas held by his family and the actions of his father and the Nazi dictatorship. The boys' connection enables them to find peace despite their vastly different backgrounds and experiences.

The conclusion is truly devastating and will break your heart. I found the author's writing style to be very engaging. Even though the book is only around 200 pages long, it offers the complexity I was looking for. Although there are a few drawbacks, in my view, the positives far outweigh the negatives. After finishing the book, I watched the film adaptation, which was a nice and well-made movie. However, there were some differences between the film and the novel. Most of the time, having a child as the main protagonist of a story doesn't work for me, so I'm glad this one did.

**Title: The Impact of "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas"**

The story of "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" is truly a heart-wrenching one. The innocent perspective of a 9-year-old boy, Bruno, set against the backdrop of the horrors of the Holocaust and the Third Reich is both chilling and poignant. Bruno's ignorance of the evil that lies beyond the fence and the tragic fate of his friend Shmuel is a stark reminder of the atrocities that took place.

I found myself at times frustrated with Bruno's naivete and weakness, but upon reflection, it's understandable given his sheltered upbringing. He was simply a child, and it's unfair to expect him to be a hero. The ending, while unexpected, felt a bit abrupt and lacking something. I would have liked to see more of the father's thoughts and feelings as he paid the ultimate price for his actions.

Update: After reading the book, I learned that there is a film adaptation from 2008. Finally having some free time to search for and watch the film, I was not disappointed. The film vividly portrays the plight of the Jews in the concentration camps, with Pavel being a prime example. Once a doctor, he now has to peel potatoes, serve Bruno's family, and is treated worse than a dog, sick, weak, and emaciated from lack of food.

Vera Farmiga completely embodies the role of a wife who is initially naïve about what her husband is doing, only to be shocked and horrified when she realizes she has married a monster. Rupert Friend is excellent as Officer Kotler, a character with a handsome exterior but a twisted and evil heart, poisoned by his hatred of the Jews from Hitler's indoctrination.

A wife and mother who clearly recognizes the wrongdoings, immorality, and cruelty of her husband and the entire system of thought that is dominating Germany. But what can she do in a time when men are still in power? And what can an 8-year-old boy who only dreams of growing up to explore the world do to save his friend in the concentration camp?

The ending of the film is a bit different from the book. It is more explicit, more violent, and therefore even more painful and distressing. The mother's cries and sobs in the rain as she loses her son, the father's devastated expression as he pays for his sins... And the final scene is full of symbolism. What could be more painful than this?

When he closed his eyes, everything around him just felt empty and cold, as if he was in the loneliest place in the world. The middle of nowhere.

*May 2021 Re-read

One of the worst fictional sister characters is Gretel. She's really annoying. Exactly a Hopeless Case.

Maria's character is memorable. She's grateful and I really appreciate such characters in stories.

But you know the most memorable character in the entire story is Pavel, the one who peels potatoes. I will always have a soft spot for this character.

The complicated father character is something I want to learn more about.

And another most hateful fictional character ever is Lieutenant Kotler. Apart from the highly hateful behavior, I do not forgive someone who is cruel towards animals. Can he just disappear in my next reread? I just cannot stand this character.

This book is real easy to start and finish in one sitting.

This was a really good read. I couldn't help getting images of the movie adaptation that I have watched a long time ago.

I loved everything about this book. I loved the fact that this book made me love some of the characters so much as well as hate a few hateful characters to the core.

I thought this book would make me cry buckets and buckets but I didn't. Actually it clutched my whole being. And I just had to keep on reading it till the last page as I couldn't stop reading it.

Yes, it is this interesting. The characters were so alive and unique on their own. Bruno and Shmuel, your innocence and friendship will be etched forever in my soul.

This is one of my most favorite classics so far. I'm planning to read more John Boyne. It's so worth it! Highly recommended.

This is the very last book I have left with absolutely no review, and I didn't quite know what to say about it.

So, I checked out other reviews.

Now I know: read Peter's.

This book has been sitting on my shelf for a while, and I've been procrastinating on writing a review. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to do it justice or that my thoughts wouldn't be coherent.

But after looking at other reviews, I realized that I don't have to be an expert to share my thoughts.

I'm part of a series in which I review books I read a long time ago. This particular book holds a special place in my heart, and I'm excited to finally give it the review it deserves.

Even though I'm not sure if my review will be as good as Peter's, I'm going to do my best to express my feelings about this wonderful book.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is an astonishing and yet intimidating novel that will forever be etched in my memory. The author, John Boyne, has done a remarkable job of描绘 the setting with such vivid details and revealing the events in a way that I was constantly pulled by emotions as the story developed and the impending doom loomed on the horizon.

I was recommended this novel some time ago while reading The Book Thief. However, after finishing that story and experiencing such profound sadness, I knew I couldn't immediately dive into another novel about the Holocaust. I'm glad I waited because, as with other works on this topic, distance and perspective are crucial. I feel the author has masterfully juxtaposed two powerful themes in a seamless manner: one being the evil of the Holocaust, and the other being the innocence of a child.

I think it was brilliant of Boyne to tell the story from the perspective of a nine-year-old German boy. As you experience the events of this abhorrent and unthinkable time in history as a mere complicit bystander, it ultimately leaves you with a sense of hopelessness.

The story unfolds when Bruno arrives home to find that his family is moving from Berlin to Auschwitz, where his father will serve as the Commandant of the concentration camp. Bruno is forced to leave his three best friends for life and discovers that life in Auschwitz is lonely and desolate. Everything changes the day he meets a boy his exact age, and they begin to form a friendship over the course of a year. However, as much as they have in common, living on opposite sides of the fence proves to have a devastating consequence for their friendship.

After finishing this book, I did some research on the author and the novel and found that he not only received well-deserved praise but also harsh criticism. As with any piece of literature, when words are put on paper and presented to an audience for interpretation, there will be varying degrees of acceptance and backlash. Combine that with such a sensitive topic, and you're bound to get a reaction. Well, I take my hat off to John Boyne for tackling this story from a unique perspective and presenting a poignant fable that made me, as a reader, willingly suspend my reality and experience the events in a way that exposed my emotions and feelings to such a raw level. Well done, in my humble opinion.

What a truly remarkable story!

This is not only a great work of fiction but also a deeply heartbreaking one.

Like any other work of fiction, it doesn't have to adhere to strict accuracy. Indeed, the book may not be perfect, but the author's storytelling ability most definitely is.

The story is told from the perspective of a 9-year-old German boy who is completely oblivious to what is going on around him and in the world.

It is beyond my understanding why some readers have had such a hard time grasping that this is a work of fiction and that the author never claimed the events to be true facts.

There was just one aspect that I didn't quite like. (The fact that the fence wasn't electrified or constantly patrolled didn't bother me.) If a 9-year-old boy is able to speak with such sweet innocence and naïveté as he did, why couldn't he understand the word "Auschwitz" and instead kept repeating "Out-With" every time, especially if his main language is German?

Anyway, the writing in this book is excellent.

This is a truly terrific work, and I also thought that the movie adaptation was very well done.

I will loan the phrase that Fotini told me.

Emotionally beautiful

It is a delicate story of friendship that unfolds within the soot and hardness of the holocaust. This story is not just about the horrors that took place during that dark time but also about the glimmers of hope and the power of human connection that managed to shine through. The friendship described here is one that withstands the test of extreme circumstances, showing the true depth and strength that can exist between people. It is a story that reminds us of the importance of kindness and compassion even in the most difficult of situations.