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What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

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Original poster

has anyone read the boy in the striped pyjamas? were you completely shocked at the ending?

30 replies

juicychops · 12/08/2009 12:34

because i was! i had a feeling it was building up to something bad due to the nature of the book, but the actual awful thing came out the blue for me and the first sentence of the last chapter just shocked me to the core.

i have been thinking about this book constantly since i read it. i now want to see the film

OP posts:

KIMItheThreadSlayer · 12/08/2009 12:52

I knew it was not going to have a happy outcome but I was shocked to speechless by the ending

Rubyrubyrubyislosing7lbs · 12/08/2009 12:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RedDeadFail · 12/08/2009 12:55

I did know I think but it doesn't lessen the impact.

The film is very good juicychops and faithful to the book mostly.

mollyroger · 12/08/2009 12:58

I saw it coming but I still sobbed and sobbed.
Then, when I stopped sobbing I felt ashamed for having been so manipulated...

And then looked for the glaring plot flaws!

Tamarto · 12/08/2009 13:01

This book just didn't have any sort of big impact on me.

Original poster

juicychops · 12/08/2009 13:01

i knew it was not going to have a happy ending, and i guessed at what the sad ending would involve, but it was a complete shock to me that Bruno would be involved also. i just wasn't prepared for that

OP posts:

MaybeAfterBreakfast · 12/08/2009 13:15

I knew something bad was going to happen but the actual ending really shocked me. I swore out loud as I read it, and felt very disturbed for a long time afterwards.

MoominMymbleandMy · 12/08/2009 13:25

I wasn't shocked but I think the twist makes much more impact and drives home the horror of what happens because you're seeing it from a different perspective than the one you're used to.

sleeplessinstretford · 12/08/2009 13:55

last year on holiday i read owen meany (which makes me howl yet i still read it and weep,every year,on holiday) and took boy in striped pjs for dd to read.
i am sure the people round the pool must've thought i was deranged as i broke my heart and was sobbing and snotting all over the show.
I thought it was abrupt and fast at the end-as indeed the erm end was IYSWIM.

Oumasrusks · 12/08/2009 14:00

I read it recently and I didn't expect the ending at all. I was totally shocked!

jeminthepantry · 12/08/2009 14:02

Yes I have read it too, I found it incredibly powerful, especially being written from the viewpoint of a child....however given the subject matter, I wasn't 'shocked' as such at the ending, I thought it was brilliant but emotive and thought provoking, and I really love that in a novel.

strongblackcoffee · 12/08/2009 14:02

No, I wasn't expecting the ending either, it shocked the hell out of me and I sobbed my way through the rest of the book. Don't know why I didn't see it coming really, but I'm never very good at figuring out plots, etc. Funny, I think I did actually exclaim out loud in shock, as somebody else said too.

penona · 12/08/2009 14:03

Just has this conversation with my SIL! She is a teacher and said the kids in her class really liked the book. I was totally shocked by the ending and left me feeling a bit weird for a while afterwards.

LouMacca · 12/08/2009 14:59

Have been meaning to read this book for ages and after reading this thread am definitely going to buy it to take on hols next week (along with a box of Kleenex!)

Pogleswood · 12/08/2009 20:21

Yes,definitely shocked,and I agree that it has more impact coming from a different perspective to the usual one (just looked to see who said that and see it's you,Moomin - Hi!)
I stood and read this in Asda - so then I was stood there with my trolley thinking 'Gulp,this is awful,sniff,sniff...'

lovechoc · 12/08/2009 20:27

Read the book last year but wouldn't say I was shocked by the ending, found it a very emotional book to read and was almost expecting more than the abrupt ending that it had. I thought 'is that it'. Yet to see the film...

It was nice to see a novel from a child's POV what happened during the Holocaust, rather than an adult.

teamcullen · 12/08/2009 20:33

I read this book last year when DD brought it home from school (year 7). Her teacher made them all read it bit by bit so nobody would spoil the ending.

I was surprised, Being written from a childs POV. You sort of expect a positive ending. Very good book.

I think I will have to read it again

MoominMymbleandMy · 12/08/2009 20:33

at Pogle - Asda definitely wasn't the best place to stuck into this one, handy for Kleenex though.

muggglewump · 12/08/2009 20:38

I saw the film first and wasn't hugely shcked, but I think the ending's easier to work out from the film.

I still cried at the end of the book though, I always think reading something makes it more eotional than watching it.

lisalisa · 27/08/2009 21:11

I saw the film but haven't read teh book.

I was completely shocked by the ending and thought it an extremely powerful but hugely distressing film.

My 12 yr old and 10 yr old also saw it with me. My 12 yr old was largely unaffected but my 10 yr old asked wht happened at the end and how the boys died. He had sseen the gas mask on the nazi who poured the gas in and wanted to know if that was connected.

Felt the weight of huge and terrible respnsiblity as i explained to him. A little of his innocence died that day . However he would not accept "no" for an answer and I feel he wanted and needed to know waht happeend. AS we are jewish and lost relatives in the holocaust I felt it right and proper that with this much probing and begging for knowledge that it should be given over to him ( he is an incredibly mature and thoughtful boy) and he did deal with it well- asking questins and displaying the expected mix of sadness ,curiosity and horror.

It kind of reminds me of visiting Yad Vashem in Jersusalem. Althgoht we know what to expect there when we find it , it is still shocknig and breathtakingly sad.

deaddei · 28/08/2009 16:33

My ds (10) saw the film (left him watching it while we were out for an hour having a drink)- he cried, and said "why did they do it to little boys?"
He's been to the Imperial War Museum several times, and knows a lot about the war as my dad was in it- he's reading the book at the moment.
I think it should be a set book for yr 6 like Kensugi's Kingdom (dodgy spelling there- sorry)

TwoIfBySea · 28/08/2009 23:35

I don't think I could ever read it again and I don't want to watch the film but I would gladly let my dts read this when they are a little older. Although I found it upsetting it is important to know the inhumanity of humanity.

AlwaysSmiling · 02/09/2009 09:20

I was totally taken in and had no idea what was going to happen. Obviously you know something bad is going to happen but i was so shocked. I want to see the film but havent had chance. Having seen this I'm reminded so maybe I'll rent it. I think it is a good book for kids to read when they get older cos it really helps you understand. I loved that it was from a childs pov.

LyraSilvertongue · 13/10/2009 23:39

I've just finished reading this. I had a terrible feeling when the boys were planning their final adventure that something like the ending was going to happen.

busybutterfly · 27/10/2009 23:12

I thought this was the most heart rending book - can't believe it's in the teenager's section in Waterstones!

Made me cry. A lot.

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