The Boy in Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The Boy in Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

If you decide to read this book, you will go on a journey with a boy named Bruno, who is nine years old. And sooner or later you will come to a stop and arrive at the fence with Bruno.  During the Holocaust, Bruno lives in Berlin with his mother, father, and sister, Gretel. They are shortly moved to a new home where father can continue his work next to a concentration camp. Bruno, being young can’t understand why he and his family are leaving; yet he has to leave his hometown and his friends, whom he is so sad to leave behind.  Bruno and his family are starting to adjust to life at the home called Out-With.  Gretel and Bruno both find themselves being terribly bored and wanting to do nothing more but leave home.

            Luckily, Gretel learns to keep herself contempt by playing with her dolls, while Bruno has a source of adventure with him. He spots huts far away in the distance and is curious as to what they might be for and who might be living in them. He starts exploring until he comes to a fence, and sees a blob that turned into a figure, that turned into something mind blowing. Bruno is quite puzzled by this and starts to approach the fence, only to find…

Off of a five star rating scale; I would give this book a three. It was over all a good read, but it didn’t do enough for me to be entertained. Also, this novel would have been better if it ended with a happy ending, instead of an ending with a bizarre feeling left in your stomach.  If you are into history and personal stories combined, or Historical Fiction, I would definitely check out this book.

Genre:  Historical Fiction, WWII

Reviewed by:  Rachel Frazier

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

Mary, Bloody Mary by Carolyn Meyer

Mary, Bloody Mary by Carolyn Meyer

For this book review, I will be extolling the merit of the book Mary, Bloody Mary by author Carolyn Meyer. The book’s genre is, of course, historical fiction. It takes place in Medieval England, during the reign of King Henry VIII.

            Carolyn Meyer is a seventy-eight year old author born in Pennsylvania. She’s best known for writing books about historically famous people, with titles such as Mary, Bloody Mary, Cleopatra Confesses, and In Mozart’s Shadow: His sisters story. Since she writes primarily in the genre historical fiction, she obviously doesn’t have any unique experiences that make her especially qualified to write about historical figures, but she’s had so much practice over the years that she’s become quite good at it. She can really get inside the minds of people from the past and make it seem convincing that the story is really happening

            This story is all about princess Mary’s fall from power, then long and hard rise back to it. The story starts out during Mary’s early life, while her things are easy for her. The first half of the book tells of her growing up, not knowing of the growing tension between her father, King Henry, and her mother, Catherine.

            The second half of the story has Catherine’s marriage with the King accused of being invalid, which makes Mary a bastard. Anne Boyln takes the place of Mary’s mom as Queen, and Mary is forced from her nice home to a small manor. However, in the final half of the book, Mary risks death many times and eventually claims her place as Queen of England.

            The pace in the book was just right. It didn’t bore you, but it was relatively easy to put it down unless there was an especially tense situation was going on. I definitely wanted to finish it. It was also written in a way that even if you had to put to book down in the middle of a conflict, the events stuck with you so you could pick it up next time you got a chance. Also, it didn’t go so fast that it was hard to keep up.

            The characters are incredibly engaging. You can easily relate to them, and you really root for the good ones and hate the bad ones. Mary, the main character, is one of the most 3d characters I’ve seen in a book in a long time. You physically feel pain when she is expelled from her place as princess to the title of a bastard, and you fear for her life as though it was her own when King Henry yells at her. Carolyn did a great job in this aspect.

            Carolyn’s writing style is great. Although the book is long, the typical subjects and the writing style of Carolyn is perfect for kids and adults alike. For a college level reader, it may be too elementary, but for anyone in high school and maybe late middle, it’s perfect. It’s not cumbersome at all, and gets the message out in a fun and just complex enough way. It’s quite effective.

            The thing that’s great about this book is that it teaches you about a historical event without boring you at all. The pace goes just fast enough to get the point across without confusing the reader, and it doesn’t go slow enough to bore the reader. Another good thing about this book is how personal the author gets you to the characters. You really can understand what they’re thinking and how they feel.

            Finally, I’d give this book four out of five stars. The story itself is amazing, and told with the expertise of only someone who is dedicated to what she writes about. The reason I’m not giving it a full five stars is because I’m not a big fan of the genre. However, someone who is a big fan of history would without a doubt give this book a full five. In conclusion, I enjoyed this book because it was short and fun, but it taught me a lot about Medieval England and Queen Mary.

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Reviewed by:  Ethan Candelario

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The Boy in Striped Pajamas is about a young German boy named Bruno who is a nine-year old boy with an annoying older sister, named Gretel,  a loving mother, and a highly decorated Nazi official father. The story begins when he has to move away from the perfect home and moves to an isolated home next to a holocaust camp.  He particularly does not like the house; in fact he hates it because of the lack of friends and all of the big and scary soldiers always moving through the building. One day, after living in the new home for several weeks, he sees a camp crowded with hundreds of people all wearing striped pajamas. He always wanted to be an explorer when he grew up so he decides to explore out of his house to go meet the people in the camp. That’s where he meets a little boy and future best friend named Schmuel, and that’s where Bruno’s world changes dramatically.

Overall, the book is amazing and, and recommend this book to anyone. This book is for someone who can handle a tragedy and who has background knowledge of the holocaust, and the time period in general.

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Reviewed by:  Alex Brenton

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

11/22/63 by Stephen King

11/22/63 by Stephen King

11/22/63 is a historical fiction novel written by Stephen King. It takes place between 1958 and 1963, in the five years leading up to the assassination of John F Kennedy.

             

Stephen King, who is best known for horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy, wrote the novel. He has no particular unique experience with the events, but did live through the assassination of JFK and experienced what was going on then.

           

11/22/63 is about a man named Jake Epping who lives as an English teacher in modern time, and a man he knows who owns a restaurant discovers a way to travel back to 1958. The restaurant owner decides to save John F Kennedy form being assassinated, but is stopped when he learns that he has lung cancer from smoking and can not live the 5 years to stop the assassination. The restaurant owner decides to send Jake to stop the assassination instead. Jake first goes back to see if he can save someone’s life while in the past, or whether history will cause him to stop. He decides to save the life of the brother’s and sister of a student, who is trying to get a GED. The murder takes place only a few months after he goes back and so tries to save them first. When he successfully saves them, he goes on to try and save JFK.

While in the past Jake travels to find information on Lee Oswald and stop him. He is able to have knowledge of events that, to the people of the past, is future knowledge. He can make large bets on unlikely outcomes, knowing safely that he will win. Jake learns about Lee Oswald’s life and what he is like so that he can stop the assassination. This eventually leads him to a town near Dallas where he falls in love with a woman there. Jake proceeds to try and save JFK from being assassinated by Lee Oswald.

The pace of this book was very slow and many events that were unnecessary took place. Stephen King includes many situations just to show that history is resisting change. Also for a significant portion of the book, many of the occurrences that take place are spread between long periods of nothing happening. The pace of the book only speeds up at the end of the book, but too little happens before then.

Many of the characters in 11/22/63 seem to be possible, but few are very deep. Jake has to hide his true identity, while maintaining a life in places to keep an eye on Lee Oswald. He gets more complex when he falls in love with a woman from a town near Dallas.  He has to hide his identity and purpose, while trying to live a normal life, and wanting to hide as little as possible from the woman he loves.

           

The style is one that is acceptable for the average high school student, but is too tedious for the most people to particularly want to read it. The style demonstrates what the life was like in between 1958 and 1963 but go on for too long on each subject.

           

Overall the book was decent, but there were quite a few things that could have been better. The book went on too long where it was not necessary, and was quite tedious throughout most of it. The novel takes place over five years, but the most of those five years are not important to the book. Also, the author seemed to emphasize things that happened that did not really have any particular importance. He puts a lot of emphasis on history resisting change and “harmonizing”, and the main character noticing every little event that might mean this and how it isn’t just a coincidence. An example where this is not necessary is where Lee Oswald knows two people whose first names are George.

On a five star rating scale, I would put 11/22/63 at a two. This is because the book is too tedious and long, where the events do not need to happen at this particular pace. The book could easily be reduced to half as long with all of the same content. Most of the events that take place in this novel are adequately interesting, but not nearly enough to counter the slowness. Also several of the things that happen are simply repetitions of the same events.

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Reviewed by:  Nicholas Bauer

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

The Air Between Us by Deborah Johnson

The Air Between Us by Deborah Johnson

The Air Between Us, by Deborah Johnson is an incredible historical fiction that truly shows the hardship of the integration era. This book is a complex story involving so much more inside of racial segregation. Deborah Johnson is an African American woman who lived eighteen years in Italy and now lives in Columbus, Mississippi. Deborah usually writes children books but this novel really spoke out and touched many. Deborah’s dad was a doctor in this time period, which was part of her inspiration.

In Revere Mississippi the book starts off with ten-year-old Critter Tate driving Billy Ray Puckett, who had ‘accidently’ gotten shot, to the hospital. The perspective changes many times throughout the book showing that this town is nowhere near perfect with many lies and twists. As you read on learning about this investigation you keep finding clues leading you to one person then another.

You then get introduced into Dr. Cooper Connelly and Dr. Reese Jackson, which you later find out that they filled each other’s holes to their learning experience of becoming doctors. Then Melba and Deanie Jackson get involved by being on the wrong side of town; Deanie sees her husband, Reese Jackson, leaving the wrong house. Dr. Connelly was inspired to make Revere’s first integrated school. Which led white’s to accuse him of having an affair with Melba, who is black and tells fortunes for a living. When Mrs. Connelly suddenly comes after to Melba’s to have a reading, Melba then figures out that Mrs. Connelly is actually having an affair with Dr. Connelly. When you couldn’t think of anything more to happen Corner had an autopsy done on Billy Ray Puckett finding out that he was punctured in the lungs and he didn’t remove the bullet leading him to die, slowly bleeding to death. But what not everyone knew was that Dr. Reese Jackson, the black doctor, actually took over Cooper’s surgery on Billy Ray Puckett. Reese wanted Mr. Puckett to die because Billy was actually sexually abusing his own ten-year-old daughter, Janet, and she shot him before he could get to her and Billy knew it.

On a 5 star scale I would give it a 5. It was written in such a way to draw in the readers without being bored at any point. Any readers that love mysterious and finding it out with the people in Revere will love this book. It also shows how the times have changed in such a good way and that the era it was written in struggled greatly the outcome and the war they fought was for the best of the future.

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Reviewed by:  Carly York

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

Schindler’s List by Thomas Keneally

Schindler’s List by Thomas Keneally

            Schindler’s List is written by Thomas Keneally. It is his most famous work. Throughout the book, Keneally uses a unique style paired with firsthand accounts to create a extraordinary experience. Other novels by Keneally include The Playmaker, The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, and Woman of the Inner Sea.

            The story describes the efforts of Oskar Schindler, a German industrial entrepreneur, who saves the lives of over 1000 Jews during the WWII Holocaust. Originally drawn to concentration camps for their appeal to his factory, Schindler witnesses the cruelty within them and sets out to save the prisoners by employing them in his factory. By keeping them under his authority, he ensures that they do not face the horrors of camp without protection. Based on firsthand accounts of the survivors, Schindler’s List retells Schindler’s sacrifice and compassion.

            Keneally establishes a moderate pace throughout his novel. While the book is captivating and never slow, it spends certain amounts of time on historical and biographical subjects, helping the reader find time to put the book down. Despite some slow points, most portions of text were perfectly gripping, and the reader was immersed in the story. However, these sections were brief enough for pauses in reading.

            The characters in Schindler’s List are very lifelike. Even characters less central to the plot come off as actual humans; many of them were in fact real people. Outside of Oskar Schindler himself, Itzhak Stern is a very real character. Between his accurate insights concerning the future of the Holocaust and his faith in Schindler as the Jews’ savior, he provides a hopeful beacon through the evil of the Nazi regime. Additionally, Stern proves to serve as a foreshadowing of events later in the book.

            Keneally’s writing style is ideal- advanced enough for analysis and interest, but simple enough for the average high school reader to follow easily. By using a less advanced style, Keneally opens allows enjoyable reading and increased understanding in a wide field of readers.

            The firsthand accounts and historical references serve Keneally by adding a believable layer of reality to his novel. I found these portions to be both enlightening and enriching- providing knowledge and giving depth to the story. In addition, the portrayal of the concentration camps is graphic enough to make a realistic account, but not so dark as to repulse readers. Both elements allow Keneally to present a realistic and yet captivating work.

            I award Schindler’s List five stars. Due to the historical learning available, attractive style, and fascinating story of compassion and good triumphing over evil, the novel is one of my favorite reads. I believe that anyone could enjoy this book, but those looking for a historically accurate portrayal will be most pleased. While Schindler did a great good in saving the Jews that he did, he was in many ways less than virtuous. Also, the cruelty exhibited in the concentration and death camps, particularly by Commandant Amon Goeth, does not paint a pretty picture of WWII Europe. Despite this, the story is an excellent one, and Keneally’s novel is one that I recommend to any reader at or above the High school level.

Genre:  Historical Fiction, WWII

Reviewed by:  Breece Paisley

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick

Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick

 

Arn, a boy of eleven years old, is living a regular life in Cambodia; he has a large family and loves to have fun with his siblings.  Without warning, though, his peaceful dwelling is overrun by an obscure military force.  These “Khmer Rogue” drag Arn away from his family and throw him into a secluded labor camp, where he and hundreds of other children are forced to dig ditches and plant rice for weeks on end.  Several die from disease, exhaustion, hunger, and torture, and there appears to be no end to the torment.  Throughout his time at the camp, Arn is forced to come up with new ways to survive and thrive long enough to be rescued by the Vietnamese.

Eventually, he is recruited into a band made up of children to play for the Khmer Rogue.  Despite having no prior knowledge of music, he manages to rise up above the others and become the best in the group.  After a while, the band begins traveling to other camps, and Arn gains a bit more freedom with each passing day.  When the Vietnamese finally arrive at the scene, he is abruptly thrown into the middle of the war as a child soldier.  Against all odds, Arn has to preserve his life from the new dangers and find a way to freedom all while battling his own self, plagued from his past experiences and actions.

I would give this book a 4.5 out of 5 star rating.  I believe this is a fantastic book because of the perfect pacing and suspenseful events.  The book manages to include countless memorable events while still keeping an easy to follow plot.  While it isn’t perfect, the cultural and moral significance seen near the end make it a must-read for everyone, especially for those who know about the Khmer Rouge group’s rule.  Overall, this is a great story for anyone who takes interest in the events the novel follows, and people who don’t know about the historical significance can still find enjoyment in it.

Genre:  Historical FictionReviewed by:  Shane Leigh
Teacher:  Mara Pufko