It seems like every other book is set in World War II, but
this one takes on a wholly unique perspective of the Holocaust: that of a young
German boy whose father is in a high-level position within the Nazi party.
Bruno is only nine years old, and author Boyne captures his point of view
perfectly. He’s not a Nazi child during World War II; he is simply a child like
any child in any other time and place in history. Bruno goes to school, enjoys
playing with his friends, can’t understand why his older sister is acting
differently lately, loves his parents, and is unaware of the larger world of
politics and war.
When Bruno comes home from school one day to find that his
family is moving from their big house in Berlin, he is upset, as any child
would be, to leave his friends and his beloved home for someplace unknown.
Their new home is far away, with no other houses near by, and Bruno complains
about it to his mother, who tells him he must not complain because this move is
important for his father’s career. There is a huge fence bordering Bruno’s new
house, and through it, he can see hundreds of men, women, and children, all
dressed alike in striped pajamas. Desperate for some company, Bruno sets off on
a hike along the fence where he finally meets another boy, Schmuel. Though they
are separated by the fence, the two nine-year old boys discover they have a lot
in common and become friends.
The child’s voice in this novel is completely authentic and
pulls you right into his world. He truly has no idea what is going on in the
larger world. He thinks that the new place where they live is called Out-With
and that his father’s important boss is nicknamed the Fury. Bruno’s innocence
and naivety allow us a different kind of perspective on this horrific part of
history. The audio production was excellent, with the narrator’s slight German
accent and childlike tone making
Bruno’s perspective believable.
Boyne so perfectly captures Bruno’s simple little-boy world
that at first, I actually thought this was a book for middle-grade readers. But
there are some heart-rending developments in the story that would be
distressing to younger readers, and in light of Bruno’s complete ignorance, it
is necessary for the reader to have some basic understanding of what was
happening in that part of the world in 1942 in order to fully grasp the events
of the novel. It is a compelling, powerful, and haunting story that will stay
with you long after you close the book or turn off your iPod.
AUDIO:
