ISBN-13: 9780385751896Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: October 2008
Edition Description: Media Tie-in
216 pgs
With the movie scheduled to be released here next week, I figure this is a good time for me to pick up this book before watching it.
Told from a nine-year-old's perspective, this is a story about the Holocaust. Then again, it is also a story about misunderstandings and misconceptions.
Bruno's world is turned upside down when he knew he has to move out of Berlin together with his family one day. Bruno has no idea what his father is actually doing, except that he wear a uniform and that he looked very handsome and smart in it. Bruno is sad about leaving Berlin, but mostly importantly he misses his three good friends and his grandparents. After all, he stayed in Berlin all his life and to him a comfort zone. His elder sister, Gretel, who is twelve, is not thrilled about the move either but it seems it is not a choice for all of them.
When they arrived at their new house, Bruno is dismayed to find that there is absolutely nothing there as compared to their house in Berlin. Already feeling sad without any friends in the new place, he is also not pleased to find that the house is smaller and there is nothing except a fence surrounding the area if he walk a little further away.
He did not think about the fence until boredom and curiosity probe him into doing so. He met a boy named Shmuel who is his age and coincidentally, they shared the same birthday. They became friends quickly. Bruno never understand the story behind Shmuel whenever he told him so (as well as why he and the others are wearing the striped pajamas), but he continues to be a good friend and bring Shmuel food almost everyday without fail. To him, companionship and friendship is enough for him but of course he could never understand Shmuel's situation until a harmless decision lead to a drastic end.
Now where shall I begin? There are so many things I want to say about this book. I am sure how I felt about this book may have already been said by many readers/reviewers.As a start, I totally believed in Bruno's naivety and innocence for someone his age. After all, he has been living a sheltered life and he has no idea what the world is going on out there. He is overly protective by his parents, and in his eyes the world is a comfort place to live in, with good food and a happy life with his family and friends. He could not understand the harshness and the cruelty of war because he has never encountered them before.
I think Bruno has found true friendship through Shmuel. They may live in a completely different world, but one could tell their friendship is genuine through their acts and conversations. Whenever I read about Shmuel's unfortunate situations, they made me want to cry.
I simply could not describe my feelings towards the ending. It is so powerful and this leads me into thinking how the younger readers will feel and whether or not if they understand the meaning behind this story. Nevertheless, it is a good story; one that will remain in my mind for some time. I can not wait to watch the movie.
Other blog reviews:
A Guy's Moleskin Notebook
(Let me know if I've missed yours.)
I simply could not describe my feelings towards the ending. It is so powerful and this leads me into thinking how the younger readers will feel and whether or not if they understand the meaning behind this story. Nevertheless, it is a good story; one that will remain in my mind for some time. I can not wait to watch the movie.
Other blog reviews:
A Guy's Moleskin Notebook
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