For months I had avoided this book at all costs. From what I'd heard what my friends said about it, I thought it might be a bit too brutal for my liking. But all the same, I wanted to read it to find out for myself. So I did.
Nine year old Bruno and his family have just moved house and both Bruno and his sister Gretel are bored. Bruno looks out of the window and sees, in the distance, a huge wire fence, and lots of people in the same blue and grey striped pyjamas. Bruno is very unaware of the war, and is immediately jealous that his father is allowed to cross the fence but he's not. He really wants to make some friends, and across the fence there seemed to be thousands of boys to befriend. Bruno just doesn't understand.
So one day, he goes exploring. He walks and walks until he's at the fence, and meets a boy his age there. Soon, the boy and Bruno are seeing each other every day, and every day the boy's eyes get a bit more sunken, he gets a little skinnier and he loses some of his humour. Every day for a year, Bruno visits the fence and every day, the boy is on the other side just waiting for him. Then one day the boy's father goes missing. So Bruno agrees to help. Surely just one sneak across the fence wouldn't hurt?
I need to warn you that this book isn't a happy one. It had me in tears at the end, so be prepared!
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