(10/17/2009)
I loved this book. The immature, childish, innocent narration leads to a horrifying, frightful ending, in which you wouldn't expect. This book left me shaken and telling myself, "That actually happened to people." It was my eye opener to the holocaust. It was clever and interesting the way they portrayed the main character, Bruno. He is a very real, innocent 9-year-old, not knowing the horrors that are right in front of him. After a while, you forget that these people are suffering in a concentration camp, because you start to think like Bruno. You tell yourself, "Everything is alright. They're fine. Bruno's dad wouldn't be that mean." But Bruno's dad is that mean, and he is faced with his ultimate revenge at the end of the book.
I recommend The Boy in the Striped Pajamas to any person 12 or older, who is looking for a historical fiction novel. Whoever you are, wherever you are, this book connects all of us, and reminds you that we are all human. John Boyne did an amazing job at portraying that message.