What readers think of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, plus links to write your own review.

This is a book that is interesting on a number of levels. It isn’t particularly scholarly, nor is it intended to be. It isn’t particularly complete in the historical sense either. It isn’t intended to be. There are many things it isn’t – a novel, a children’s book, a short story. In fact, as a fable, I wasn’t even sure, initially, it did that very well. But, I changed my mind.

As a fable, this little book isn’t compelled to be thorough or complete. It needs only to take the moral, and the characters central to it, and make the point. So of course it doesn’t accurately name Auschwitz or the Fuehrer. It isn’t supposed to. And, so what if it doesn’t deal with the Nazi social hierarchy completely, excluding the other families and children who were actually there. It isn’t supposed to.

In the same sense, Bruno isn’t supposed to be an inquisitive, bright nine year old child – the moral to the story wouldn’t be as poignant if he was. In fact, the author employs the fable ingeniously in having Bruno, who as a nine year old could be more inquisitive and even worldly, remain completely naïve. If that is too much a leap for an average reader who doesn’t understand fable, then there is also an option to regard Bruno as impaired. Auschwitz could be Out-With, and the Fuehrer, the Fury, due to a speech impediment (he insists he is saying the same thing as his father and his sister at the various times they correct him) or another learning disability.

In a fable about Nazism generally, and Auschwitz specifically, that focuses on the Nazi instead of the Jew, there is really no redemption, either. In the end everyone is undone – Bruno, Schmuel, the Commandant, the wife, the perfect young Nazi Lieutenant, and the sister – and it’s interesting to see just how it happens.

The reader should be sure to finish, or begin, with the author’s note. There might be a tendency to discount this book otherwise.

This story is too good for words. Not only does it teach you a lesson about life, but it also makes you stop and think of all of the people who died because of the Holocaust. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas also has a lot of hidden things inside of its pages. Bruno's mispronunciation of the words "Auschwitz" and "Fuhrer" Out-With and Fury are in the book because the author probably wanted the readers to consider them as double meanings. Think of it; Out-With was used because the author wanted to symbolize how the Jews were being killed. It's sort of like an old time movie line, "Out with them!". The Fury-Fuhrer connection is pretty obvious, I'll leave that one to you. Anyway, this is a really well written book! I'll never forget about it!

As I am not much of a reader and only started reading of late, I started with this book and I would have to say the best book I ever read.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a nail-biting experience anyone would enjoy. Everyone has heard from the perspectives of adults of this tragic period of time, but Boyne goes beyond that. He writes from the innocent and naive point of view of a nine-year-old boy, Bruno. It has plenty of foreshadowing that always leaves you guessing.

The rising action may be a long one, but it contains much detail. The climax is a tragic one, but do not let that stop you from reading this book. I highly recommend it for everyone!

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is interesting and at the same time informing. I like to read non fiction but when a fictional story is based on a historical event, then its a win win situation. Overall The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a very good book. If you are wanting to get informed on Holocaust I suggest this book. One thing that you will need though, is background information about the Holocaust, not too much information, just the basics.

I loved the book so much I couldn't stop reading it!!!

I think that this book is good because it gives an example of what the Jews went through in the time Hitler was in command.

The book is good .