This book is rather like 'The Book Thief' in that it is aimed at teenagers but is perfectly readable by adults. It is not the book that 'Book Thief' is in that it always seems concious that it is a teens bok whereas 'Book Thief' pulls no punches and has become one of my favourites.

Saying that though it is thought provoking and the theme remained with me for quite some time afterwards. My wife found the ending quite shocking.

The author specifically suggests that this is read without knowing what it is about beforehand. This is more appropriateto teenagers who may not grasp the references and clues early on but I would suggest that if you don't know of the book you read no more about it until you do so.

Offered as a book ring twice but surprisingly with no takers. Strange that - this comes as highly recommended by XLonelyGuy, who has impeccable taste!!!!

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

passed on to Normy in Juicecafe over a couple of coffees

Saw the film the other day. Naturally, very much abridged version of the story and not quite as 'powerful'.

Methinks the main aim of the story is to demonstrate that what happened to the Jews in WW11 (along with the gypsies, homosexuals, disabled people and dissidents) is more readily brought home to people by the means of focusing on an individual or two rather than the millions. In this way the victims seem more like 'people' than statistics.

This is brought home to the Camp Commandant in a rather forceful way. In neither the book or the film do we see Bruno's father's reaction following the events. Rather we are left to imagine what follows after the book/film ends.

I would like to hope that this entailed an epiphany in which the Commandant changed his views on the 'final solution' - but knowing of the fanatical Nazi mind I somehow doubt it.