I borrowed this from the mobile library and read it in one sitting at the weekend and thought it was absolutely fantastic, so much so I am going to buy my own copy for the keepers shelf. I thought it was so thought provoking and the end was, although slightly predictable once Bruno put the "pyjamas" on, shocking nonetheless.

However, when I was browsing amazon earlier I thought I'd read some of the reviews on there to see what others thought of this wonderful book and was slightly surprised when someone mentioned the fact that the book is so implausible that it stopped them from enjoying it. The reviewer had a point though and I cant believe that I didnt realise when I was reading it that "out-with" would not translate to sound like that in German, and also raised other points about Brunos naivity for a nine year old. I know that Brunos innocence was the central theme of the book, but never questionned the fact that this was so unrealistic for a nine year old.

I just wondered what everyone else thought as I cant stop thinking about it now

I really enjoyed it.

 I work in a school, and although i don't think 9 year olda are so naive these days, im sure things were alot different 50 odd years ago, so still seems plausible to me.

I loved this book and think it is plausible.  I teach kids that are 11-16 and some can be very naive to things.  I had to tell a 15 year old the other day about the apartheid and she couldnt believe that had happened!

The nine year old in the book had led a sheltered life previosuly as the dad didnt want them to be aware of it.

i read this and thought that it was plausable. kids mature at different rates. my nephew who is just a bout 12 still believes in santa whereas his 8 yr old sis is a bit wiser on that one!

I loved it but as you say when he put the pyjamas on you kind of realised what was bound to happen. Still a very good read though and ive recommended it to some of my friends.

Yeah I've told sparky to get it read, as we're trying to find books that we both like! I cant see how he wouldnt enjoy this!

i get the feeeling you're trying harder to find books u think i will like than me reading stuff u like but lets not split hairs lol

actually it is good just to talk boooks with you for a change seeing as that is normally the only thing we don't seem to talk about....rofl

sparkymarky:

i get the feeeling you're trying harder to find books u think i will like than me reading stuff u like but lets not split hairs lol

actually it is good just to talk boooks with you for a change seeing as that is normally the only thing we don't seem to talk about....rofl

 Cant believe you read this thread before you read the book!! There is no point you reading it now!! Grrrr!!!!

And, for the record, I'm not activetly trying to finf books that you will like, but I am considering whether you would like them whilst I am reading them, but then I do that for most of my friends anyway

I found the book believable, I think perhaps because Bruno had such a sheltered life in many ways and his innocence was a big part of his personality.  Also, my history knowledge is poor really, but would people living in Germany necessarily have known exactly what was going on?  Especially a nine year old?  I am sure that any radio coverage in Germany would have covered the war in a positive light, as happens in the US for example over the 'war on terror'.

 

I cried like a baby at the end of the book, even though it was not surprising once Bruno put on the pyjamas. 

I'm with the reviewer who found it implausible. I still enjoyed it as a story but I felt that Bruno would have had some idea of what was going on, for example, you would think his father's views on the "master race" might have been voiced at home. I would also question how both boys could meet up like that in secret when both would surely have been missed.

However, I felt the ending and basing a story round it was actually quite clever.

Well simple little me didnt see what was going to happen at all, I was really shocked and it made me cry.  It never crossed my mind that the book was implausible or about the 'out-with' thing.  I think it's me that's naive not Bruno and I'm 40!  I loved it and enjoyed it immensly and am so glad that I didnt read the Amazon reviews prior to reading the book.

I agree that Germans were most probably unaware of what was happening in the camps during the war, positive propaganda and all that, just look at North Korea now, they have no idea about the Western world, only what their leader choses to make up!

 

I had never considered its plausibility or implausibility (God, what a mouthful!) while reading it - I tend to read things for the effect they have on me and am not overly aware of historical accuracy which I know a lot of historical fiction writers get criticised for lacking including Saint Philippa my heroine!  I saw it as a simple story but the beauty of its simplicity and naivety is that it brought home the simple horror of the Holocaust.  I enjoy a lot of children/young adult books as perhaps they are slightly less self-conscious (style wise) than a lot of adult fiction. 

By the way, my brother in law who rarely reads anything actually asked to borrow this off me as his boss in work had raved so much about it.  Unfortunately he remained immune to its charm!

lovelytreez:

I had never considered its plausibility or implausibility (God, what a mouthful!) while reading it - I tend to read things for the effect they have on me and am not overly aware of historical accuracy which I know a lot of historical fiction writers get criticised for lacking including Saint Philippa my heroine!  I saw it as a simple story but the beauty of its simplicity and naivety is that it brought home the simple horror of the Holocaust.  I enjoy a lot of children/young adult books as perhaps they are slightly less self-conscious (style wise) than a lot of adult fiction. 

By the way, my brother in law who rarely reads anything actually asked to borrow this off me as his boss in work had raved so much about it.  Unfortunately he remained immune to its charm!

 

Martin has this ready to take on holiday with him - he very rarely reads but was intrigued by it when I was reading it. 

smiler07:

sparkymarky:

i get the feeeling you're trying harder to find books u think i will like than me reading stuff u like but lets not split hairs lol

actually it is good just to talk boooks with you for a change seeing as that is normally the only thing we don't seem to talk about....rofl

 Cant believe you read this thread before you read the book!! There is no point you reading it now!! Grrrr!!!!

And, for the record, I'm not activetly trying to finf books that you will like, but I am considering whether you would like them whilst I am reading them, but then I do that for most of my friends anyway

 

s'alright-won't spoil it cos i dunno what you're all talking about and by the time i get round to picking it up will have forgotten all this anyway...i have a memory like a ....like a.... that cooking instrument with lots of holes in.....y'know a cheese grater

I'm pleased the majority felt the same way I did about this book as I didnt consider the plausibility of this while I was reading it and don t think I ever would have done had I not read this review on amazon.