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Home > Books > Fiction > Children's Books > T Children's Books > The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne

User Reviews

for The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne

Rating Summary based on 42 reviews

  • 5 Stars
    		26
  • 4 Stars
    		11
  • 3 Stars
    		5
  • 2 Stars
    		0
  • 1 Star
    		0

Detailed rating

  • Characters
  • How does it compare to other works by the same author?
  • How does it compare to similar books?
  • Readability
  • Story
  		• 4.2
  		• 2.7
  		• 3.3
  		• 4.5
  		• 4.6

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Previous page Next page Page 1 of 5 | 1 to 10 out of 42 Review(s)
  • 27 of 27 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of Puggers

    Level 5 Puggers

    Member since 29/03/2005

    Reviews written: 226

    3 Stars Life on the Other Side 08/04/2009
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages A clever concept, well-told, absorbing characterisation.

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Somewhat contrived in places, perhaps lacking the impact it should have.

    This book, so reads the Guardian quote adorning its front cover, relates the story of "a moment in history that can't be told enough times". Falling within the already heavily-stuffed genre of war novels; specifically Holocaust literature, that statement may not be entirely true. A lot has been said about the subject, and though it is undoubtedly one which merits the scrutiny, it takes a special kind of novel to offer a fresh perspective on the well-documented horrors without exploiting them for emotional impact. The ostensible success of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas suggests that this is ... more
  • 46 of 46 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of Amy69

    Amy69

    4 Stars Who is that boy? 04/01/2008
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages mysterious, attractive cover, some strong characters

    Disadvantages Disadvantages takes some concentration

    For personal reasons, ones of which I shall not go into, I found myself spending the Christmas period in hospital. Now, even if you have never stayed overnight in a ward, I'm sure you can imagine how incredibly boring and lonely it would be, never mind staying for an entire week! This stay was quite sudden, and I did not have a lot of time to pack my things, or even what I should be taking with me! So, I ended up twiddling my thumbs for several hours on the lumpy bed, awaiting the arrival of my visitors. My friends are very loyal and caring, so it is to my benefit that the one great mate who ... more
  • 65 of 65 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of CrazyJamie

    Level 5 CrazyJamie

    Member since 17/03/2009

    Reviews written: 33

    5 Stars A small wonder of a book Review with images 27/09/2009
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages An enjoyable and original, yet hard hitting account of the Holocaust

    Disadvantages Disadvantages It's a tad short, but ultimately doesn't suffer for it

    Now and again I take a break from the usual genres that I read and pick up a book that falls into the category that I call 'books that I think I should read'. In other words, books that have in some way been critically acclaimed or had a lot of fuss made about them, whether old or new. And so it was with The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, a book that had enough fuss made about it in order to apparently warrant a film. Always an interesting sign. The book follows a nine year old boy called Bruno, who is the son of a Nazi commander during the second world war. The family live in a luxury house in ... more
  • 78 of 78 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of malihat

    Level 6 malihat

    Member since 21/06/2010

    Reviews written: 107

    5 Stars A compelling read. 17/05/2012
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Good story, written in a different style.

    Disadvantages Disadvantages None.

    This book had been on my wish list for quite some time, but I didn't receive it as a gift until my birthday last year. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of watching the film before reading the book which took away a lot of the pleasure that I would have otherwise gotten from reading the book. Although I saw the movie quite some time ago, I still remembered bits and pieces so I knew, more or less, what would happen in the book and that ruined it for me a little. My advice to you would be NOT to watch the film, at least not until you've read the book. Nine year old Bruno lives a happy, care-free ... more
  • 29 of 29 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of theediscerning

    Level 6 theediscerning

    Member since 14/08/2002

    Reviews written: 150

    5 Stars He sees dead people too 01/09/2008
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Simply brilliantly realised short read

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Yes it is short, and the film trailers are telling everyone what it's about

    Bruno is just like so many nine year old boys, of fiction and the real world. He loves the large home he lives in - with the garret window and basement, and the continuous banister slide that almost links them both; he likes scoffing at his older sister's doll collection; he regrets being a little on the short and small side, and partly counters that by absorbing and using as many adult words and phrases as he can to appear mature. However things are not perfect in his world when a change of location is forced on his family. "One day he was perfectly content, playing at home, sliding down ... more
  • 25 of 25 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of kama0529

    Level 6 kama0529

    Member since 03/10/2005

    Reviews written: 299

    5 Stars The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas: Everyone should read. 15/06/2010
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Brilliantly written. Compelling. Shocking. Thought provoking. Transcends generations. Original.

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Nothing.

    Every few years or so, there is a book that comes along which stands in a league of its own in terms of the impact that it has on the reader and the fact that you feel that you've been on a journey where ultimately your outlook on life is somewhat changed. John Boyne's "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" is one of those books and I really could not rate it highly enough. This book is written from the perspective of nine year old Bruno during World War 2. After his family receive a visit from "The Fury" he and his family are moved to "Out-With" where his father is given an important job. Bruno is ... more
  • 71 of 71 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of bluejules

    Level 7 bluejules

    Member since 17/06/2003

    Reviews written: 184

    5 Stars The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas 13/06/2006
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Simple, wonderfully written

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Sad

    This is one of the best books that I have read in quite a while. I first seen it in Asda but as it was still in hardback and the sleeve didn't give much away I didn't buy it. Then just a few days later it appeared in my mam's copy of The Book People magazine. As it was cheaper than Asda (by a couple of pound) and the magazine hinted slightly towards what the story was about I decided to give it a go and so I bought it. And I'm so glad I did… "The story of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is very difficult to describe. Usually we give some clues about the book on the jacket but in this case we ... more
  • 85 of 85 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of proxam

    Level 8 proxam

    Member since 12/06/2002

    Reviews written: 633

    4 Stars The Lad in the Zebra Jim jams 04/01/2009
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Cleverly thought out, easy reading

    Disadvantages Disadvantages The main character could be brighter...

    Despite the innocuous sounding title, this book isn't exactly bed time reading, well not to read to those little ones as they gently nod off. It's a strange book. The narrative is written in the third person from the perspective of Bruno, a nine year old boy living in Germany during WW2. And that's about as much of the plot as you're going to get from me. Och, maybe just a little so as we all know what we're talking about...that'll be a first. I don't really want to say too much because part of the joy of this book is the slow unfurling of what exactly is going on and the creeping realization ... more
  • 101 of 101 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of Lemonhead563

    Lemonhead563

    4 Stars Is innocence really bliss? 23/02/2007
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages extremely thought provoking

    Disadvantages Disadvantages being an adult

    *I noticed that this book has been categorized incorrectly by CIAO and placed in the section of children's books. Although, the story is seen through the eyes of a child, its purpose and meaning would only be of significance to adults.* It's going to prove to be quite difficult to review this book, as it's a book that is best read without first being given any clues to the actual story. It's a simple story with a simple message, that will haunt your mind for sometime after. The books cover is plain and simple, perfectly mirroring the story. The phrase "don't judge a book by a cover" is given ... more
  • 44 of 44 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of fizzytom

    Level 9 fizzytom

    Member since 21/07/2003

    Reviews written: 970

    3 Stars Compelling but fatally flawed 21/07/2007
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Compelling story, gentle and economic writing style

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Too subtle if you don't know the background

    "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" is the story of Bruno, a nine year old whose life is turned upside down when he returns home from school one afternoon to find the family maid hurriedly packing his clothes. He learns that the family - Bruno, his mother, his "hopeless case" twelve-year old sister and his father are leaving Berlin and moving to a place he knows only as "Out-With" for what is described as "the foreseeable future". When Bruno realises that "foreseeable future" means more than the few weeks he had imagined, he does what all nine year old boys like to do; he starts to explore and in ... more
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