‘The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas’ by John Boyne is a sad, fictional story about the holocaust. But it doesn’t have that gut-wrenching effect as many other fictions and memoirs about the atrocious historical event. Rather, I felt the story downplayed the horrors at times. As far as fiction goes, I wouldn’t say it’s the best representation of the crimes of the Second World War. 

It could, however, be a good place to get children started on history. There’s a Netflix adaptation of the novel and it’s much better and nuanced than the book. While I’d recommend children and young adults to read the book and skip the movie, adults could do the opposite. 

The story is narrated by Bruno, a nine-year-old, whose father is one of the commanders of Hitler’s army. When his family moves to a dilapidated house near a Nazi concentration camp from a five-storey mansion in Berlin, Bruno struggles to understand why he has had to leave his comfy home and friends behind. He is angry and annoyed. He also doesn’t get why there aren’t other children around to play with. 

Then he befriends a boy named Shmuel who lives on the other side of a barbed wire fence and who only seems to wear striped pajamas. Shmuel’s head is shaved, he is thin, and he is always hungry. Bruno visits him often and starts smuggling food and the two become friends. 

Unlike other boys their age, they just sit on either side of the fence and talk. Then right before Bruno is to return to Berlin with his mother and sister, he does something unthinkable that shatters his family.

Besides Bruno and Shmuel, there are other characters that give you glimpses of the different aspects of the holocaust. Even Hitler makes an appearance. Boyle’s writing is sparse but conveys a lot. You can imagine the scenes quite clearly. But because the story is narrated by a child, it lacks nuance. However, the innocent voice tugs at your heartstrings and makes you laugh at times. Bruno calls his sister ‘hopeless case’ (whenever she does something he can’t understand and you find yourself rolling your eyes and laughing at the same time) and the things he notices could only occur to a child. 

He seems to be  a boy you know—inquisitive, stubborn and cute. Stories about the holocaust are always difficult to read. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is no different. But it’s predictable and you sense where it’s going, though the ending will still shock you.

Two and half stars   

Fiction

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

John Boyne

Published: 2006

Publisher: Vintage

Pages: 223, Paperback

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39999.The_Boy_in_the_Striped_Pajamas