A more characteristic Boyne than Echo Chamber, this brilliant book is a different take on World War 2 and Hitler.
The orphaned and very bright six year old boy in question arrives at Hitler’s hilltop house when he is taken in by his aunt, the housekeeper there. Gentle, innocent, raised by his parents to be open-minded and fair, the journey of French Pierrot to fully-fledged Nazi Pieter is disturbing and emotional. And hard to put down.
A very different POV from which to write a war novel, and hats off to Boyne for his immaculate research as usual and the way in which he uses it to show us the impact of large events and ideologies on malleable, trusting minds.
I believe this is meant to be a novel for young people, but I would wonder at a young person’s ability to grasp the tragic manipulation of an impressionable mind without knowledge of the actual history of the Holocaust. So for me, very much an adult read, and save it for the kids till later!
Find it here.
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