Book Review: The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas

I’ve just finished reading The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by bestselling Irish author John Boyne. I hadn’t heard of this book until recently when the movie was set to release (my husband was invited to an advanced screening and these are his thoughts regarding the movie). I’ve always been fascinated with Holocaust literature. Possibly the only time you will see me reading a history book is when it relates to World War II. The Holocaust represents the best – stories of faith, courage and survival, and the worst of humanity. I’ll never forget visiting Auschwitz (where this story takes place) and trying to comprehend the misery. Unfathomable.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a young adult novel. Written from the perspective of a nine year old boy it is at the same time simple and profound. A criticism that I’ve read about the book is that it is flawed in terms of historical accuracy. I don’t disagree but please don’t let that keep you from reading this book. This book is in fact a fable, and not intended to be taken literally on all accounts.

Let’s get something out of the way. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is not a happy story. I’m not going to give it away any more than that. You can watch the movie trailor for a synopsis. I have not seen the movie yet but my husband and I both had similar emotional reactions even though we realized that the book and movie endings were slightly different. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is food for thought that will force you to confront reality in a deeper way.