Even though this book is listed as Children's/YA, after my experiences with "The Boy In the Striped Pajamas" I knew that this would not be your typical kids book. Set in World War I London, its the story of how a nine year old boy's life gets turned upside down when his father enlists for wartime service.
It's always an interesting perspective to see things like war through the lens of a child. It's easy to forget how the people on the homefront are affected when the father figure and breadwinner is taken off for military service. Boys have to grow up before their time, mothers who once were able to focus on child rearing and home making are thrust into the workforce against their will to keep the household running and then, when it is over, many times the men do not come back the same.
One of the themes that Boyne does a lovely job of capturing is the mental illness that afflicts many of the soldiers that return home from battle. Even today the care for these men is feeble at best.
My big complaint is the ending - there seems to be a little red bow that ties up all of the ends and its not necessarily in a believable way, but I will chalk that up to the genre rather than a flaw of the book itself. I will be interested to see what my 13 year old stepson thinks when I have him read it as well.
Goodreads rating: 4 stars.
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