"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas"
By: John Boyne
This book...well, it's hard to find words to describe how incredible this novel was. It's one that I plan to read again and again. The viewpoint on such a tragic time in history from the eyes of child made everything so sharp and clear. It did away with all the adult worries about black and white and the shades of grey in between and showed that everyone is equal, at least through the eyes of a child.
Bruno, the main character, is torn from the world he knows when his father's military career decides that he must move. His father is to become a leader of a concentration camp. Bruno hates that he has to lose his friends and home, and for a child as young as he is, it feels like the end of the world. He finally settles in after meeting a strange boy - a boy who wears striped pajamas all day. They accompany each other on short adventures, while Bruno learns more about his new life and the Military that surrounds him.
After reading this novel, not only did I find myself in tears, but I was able to appreciate even more how brutal that period of history was. It was an incredibly believable and extremely well written novel. The limited perspective allowed for an incredibly raw read. The story was bitter sweet - full of goodness and full of sadness. A+++
Rated: PG-13
