The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
”A story of innocencein a world of ignorance”
Book review: 4/5
”The Boy in Stripped Pajamas” is a historical but fictional novel by John Boyne. The novel tells the story of a young boy named Bruno who lives in Nazi Germany during World War II, and his growing friendship with a Jewish boy named Shmuel, who lives on the other side of a barbed wire fence in a concentration camp.
The novel explores themes of innocence, friendship and the consequences of blind obedience and prejudice. It was first published in 2006 and has been adapted into a film and stage play.
Key events include Bruno‘s initial curiosity about the people on the other side of the fence , his growing friendship with Shmuel, and the eventual discovery of the true nature of the concentration camp. The novel has a tragic ending, which I won't spoil.
Personal feedback of ‘the boy in strip pyjamas’
This book causes an emotional toll on the reader.
Beautifully encapsulating story.
Sentimental, heart felt and shocking tale.
Perfectly weighted film.
A powerful story.
Heartfelt meaning throughout.
I learnt the following lessons from the book.
The theme of the book is about friendship and equality.
It doesn't matter what your religion, race or colour of skin for friendship to blossom.
Because of the way Boyne describes in detail the things that happened during World War II, I learnt how gruesome this was through the eyes of a nine year old boy named Bruno.
By Maurice Edited by Tayiba
A Face Like Glass, Frances Hardinge
Book Review Rated - 5/5 stars
Genre - Fantasy
Age Range - Young adult
'A Face Like Glass' By Frances Hardinge includes politics, fiction and a great journey of re-discovering home that makes you want to never put it down. 'A Face Like Glass' follows the story of young Neverfell who lives in the underground city of Caverna. This is a place where cheese makes you see the future, wine can remove or restore memory and perfume makes you control the thoughts of whoever detects it.
Caverna is also a special place where children are born with the inability to show facial expression.
These expressions are taught by people called Facesmiths. Neverfell is our protagonist and was adopted. She works for Master Grandible a cheesemaker that raised Neverfell. But Neverfell is much different from people in Caverna as her face represents her emotions. Her face shows whatever she is feeling or thinking making her more vulnerable than others around her as she is unable to lie. Due to this, Neverfell gets involved in lots of political drama that causes her to come face to face with death.
Frances Hardinge never fails to capture the berserk world that Neverfell manages to escape and survive through so much pain. This book caught my attention every second of the day and made it impossible to put down, making me addicted to reading her books.
"Everyone should read Frances Hardinge, everyone right now" Patrick Ness.
Written by : Erica
Edited by : Tasnima
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close By Jonathan Safran Foer.
Book Review: 4.5/5
This novel is written from the perspective of a nine year old boy, Oskar Schell, who lives in New York and whose dad, Thomas, was a victim of the 9/11 attacks. Oskar sees the world slightly differently to everyone else. As an inventor, letter-writer, detective, vegan, amateur astronomer and entomologist, jewellery designer and collector of various objects, amongst other things, when Oskar’s dad is killed, he deals with it in a way that is heart-wrenching and truly inspiring.
Oskar finds a blue vase in his dad’s cupboard and inside it is a key. Convinced that this will be a way for Oskar to get closer to his father, he makes it his mission to travel all over New York and find the lock in which it fits. Armed with his tambourine, his journey takes him into the homes of many strangers in the hope of finding out what the key opens. Extremely Loud and incredibly raw, it depicts the crushing torment of a vulnerable nine-year-old boy coping with grief. Foer captures the innocence of childhood and presents Oskar’s naivety in portrayed in such a way that you can’t help but fall in love with him. Throughout the book Oskar creates many inventions, some of which are truly inspiring. Foer’s writing is beautiful and absolutely breath-taking. While the book is told from such a young voice, it raises deep and moral questions about the state of humanity and its attitudes towards violence. 9/11 is something that should not be forgotten quickly, and this novel certainly highlights the tragedy of those caught in the crossfire of mankind’s endless destruction in its pursuit of dominance.
Written by: Frida
Edited by Kawthar
The Wolf Wilder, By Katherine Rundell.
Book Review: 4/5
This modern fairy tale of courage and wisdom has all the makings of a classic. It is a book you are likely to return to many times.
Feo and her mother live in a wooden house in the snowy Russian forest where they re-wild wolves thrown out by their aristocratic owners when they tire of keeping them as house pets.
One night the cruel, malicious General Rakov, the commander of the Tsar’s Imperial Army bursts into their home and sets in motion an epic adventure. It will lead Feo on a journey through the harshest winter, accompanied by her wolves and a new-found friend, in an attempt to rescue her mother from the Tsar’s prison in St Petersburg. The quality of Katherine Rundell’s writing is magical, you can almost feel the frost biting into your own fingers as you turn the pages of this wonderful book, where every word seems to be chosen with absolute precision. This story is a perfect balance of page-turning plot, beautiful imagery and uncompromising morality.
Written by Frida
Edited by Kawthar