The boy in the striped pyjamas absolutely broke me, both the book and the film. I knew I needed to read this new offering however and I was not disappointed, I loved it.

In "All The Broken Places" by John Boyne, the acclaimed author of "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas," readers are taken on a poignant and emotionally charged journey through a woman's past, haunted by her family's dark history during World War II. With a compelling narrative and a powerful exploration of guilt, redemption, and the complexities of identity, Boyne delivers a thought-provoking tale that resonates long after the final page.

The protagonist, Gretel Fernsby, is a woman burdened by the weight of her past. Her quiet existence is shattered when a young family moves in below her, and she finds herself drawn to their son, Henry. As their friendship grows, Gretel is confronted with painful memories of her own past, including her father's role as a commandant in a Nazi concentration camp.

Boyne's masterful storytelling skill shines in "All The Broken Places." The writing is evocative and immersive, drawing readers into Gretel's world and the depths of her emotional turmoil. The author effortlessly navigates between the present and the past, seamlessly weaving together the threads of Gretel's history with the present-day challenges she faces.

The exploration of guilt and the search for redemption is a central theme in the novel. Gretel's desire to make amends for her family's atrocities is palpable, and her internal struggle is portrayed with raw honesty. Boyne doesn't shy away from the complexities of the moral choices Gretel faces, raising profound questions about the nature of forgiveness and personal responsibility.

The supporting characters in the story are well-developed and add depth to the narrative. The dynamics between Gretel and the young family below her provide moments of tenderness and vulnerability. The relationship between Gretel and Henry is particularly heartwarming, as the young boy serves as a catalyst for Gretel's transformation and a source of hope amidst the darkness of her past.

One of the strengths of "All The Broken Places" lies in its ability to depict the aftermath of war and the long-lasting impact it has on individuals and their descendants. Boyne's sensitive portrayal of the complexities of identity and the lingering trauma of the Holocaust resonates deeply. The story serves as a poignant reminder of the power of compassion and understanding in the face of unimaginable pain and loss.

However, there are moments when the pacing feels uneven, with certain sections moving slower than others. Additionally, some readers may desire a more detailed exploration of Gretel's post-war experiences in France and the impact they had on her.

"All The Broken Places" is a captivating and emotionally charged novel that showcases John Boyne's storytelling prowess. Through Gretel's journey of self-discovery, readers are prompted to reflect on themes of guilt, redemption, and the resilience of the human spirit. It is a testament to the enduring power of empathy and the capacity for personal growth, even in the darkest of times.

Absolutely loved this! A perfect sequel to The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. I highly recommend this. A really engaging read. Thought-provoking.

John Boyne is a fine writer. ‘All the Broken Places,’ his sequel to The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, examines the nature of grief and guilt, of living a long life of secrets. Its some years since I read ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ but ‘All the Broken Places’ stands on its own and can be read independently.
Gretel Fernsby is ninety-one. It is London 2022 as she nervously awaits the new neighbours expected to move into the downstairs flat. She likes familiarity, routine, being anonymous. Gretel carries the guilt of something that happened in the war and which she has hidden, and lived with, for eighty years. The opening sentence sets up the story succinctly. ‘If every man is guilty of all the good he did not do, as Voltaire suggested, then I have spent a lifetime convincing myself that I am innocent of all the bad.’ Boyne explores the concepts of individual and collective guilt, of the sin of inaction, of the culpability of children and the offence of looking away.
Gretel’s younger brother was ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas,’ their father commandant at Auschwitz. She buried all memories of her brother, unable to speak his name or say it silently in her own head, but is unable to forget him. We follow her life after the war, to France and Australia and finally to England. Always, she lives a life of secrets. Until the past comes bursting forth when nine-year old Henry moves in downstairs and Gretel sees his tears, his bruises, his silences. The memories come flooding back. As she considers whether to step in and defend Henry, she must risk revealing what she has hidden for eighty years. Will Gretel find a kind of peace?
It's the best book I’ve read so far in 2023. There are surprises at the end, some beautiful detail. Emotional but never sentimental, Boyne doesn’t shy away from the horror of the Holocaust. Powerful and uncomfortable.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-reviews-a-z/

What an amazing book. Thought provoking, a page turner, simply brilliant. This can be read either as the sequel to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas or as a stand alone book. All I can say is read it!

Loved how this book went from past to present.
A real can't put you down book, makes you think long after you have finished the last page.
An excellent book.

Ok so this book did take me an age to read and I stopped several times reading something else and then coming back to it.

Gretal is one amazing 91 year old. How can someone still be running from the actions of their father after 80 years. The story follows her life flitting between the years but dine in a way it is easy to follow and adds to the suspense of what is Gretal going to do next.
I loved the boy in the stripped pyjamas so always knew this book would be hard to read. The chapter where she enters the concentration camp for the first time is harrowing and it was at that point I could not put the book down anymore.
Everyone who knows the story of the boy in the stripped pyjamas should read this book. It will stay with me forever.

I’m a huge John Boyne fan and The boy in the striped pyjamas was the first book of his I read. I couldn’t wait to see where this follow up would go and needless to say I loved it. My favourite thing about this author is his ability to make every book different and exciting, like you’re reading one of his books for the first time. The characters come alive and I find myself picking up the book at every opportunity. Thank you to John Boyne & NetGalley for the chance to review this book.

I gave this five stars by virtue of the fact that I looked forward to going to bed early, so I could read it and I finished it after three nights. Sometimes I get caught up in whether I think the prose in a novel is beautiful or lyrical or I’ll get stuck on whether it’s important that I like the main characters. But at its simplest., I think if I want to return to the story as soon or as often as possible, then the book, and the author have done their job properly.
John Boyne did his job properly as a storyteller when he took me back to the world he created in The Boy In Tbe Striped Pyjamas and showed me what happens afterwards. Moving, shocking, infuriating : it’s an intense read.

What an amazing book. John Boyne has continued with his excellent style of writing, filled with emotion. If you read 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas,' you definitely need to read this.
Thank you to John Boyne and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I’m a big John Boyne fan and I really enjoyed this novel, the sequel to The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.. Told from the point of view of Gretel, the sister of Bruno from the aforementioned, the narrative switches from the past and present day. The novel deals with some big topics, the aftermath of the holocaust, guilt and grief, and like many of Boyne’s books I was compelled to keep reading to find out what happens next. I enjoyed the twist at the end, I didn’t necessarily see it coming but I had been curious reading how he was tie those parts together. I enjoyed reading the Author’s Notes at the end- I definitely think this novel is worth reading,

Such a heart-wrenching read, however one I would recommend people read.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

'The boy with the striped pyjamas' is one of those books you don't forget. Released back in 2006, it was written for young adults but captured a much wider audience. The story of Bruno, the son of a concentration camp commandant who befriends a boy on the other side of the wire called Shmuel, the book had an emotionally devastating ending.

'All the broken places' picks up where that book left off. Gretel, Bruno's older sister, flees Poland and heads for post-war Paris with her mother, both keen to hide from their past. This proves to be difficult, and Gretel soon finds herself having to start again, this time as far away as it’s possible to get. But can she completely escape her past?

Gretel's story as a teenager runs parallel to her life as a 91-year-old woman living in an apartment in modern-day Mayfair, London. She is a widower and has a son who visits occasionally, and is friends with a neighbor called Heidi who is suffering from early onset dementia. She likes to keep herself to herself. But then a small boy called Henry and his parents move into the downstairs flat and it triggers memories and emotions that Gretel would prefer to stay dormant. But does it also offer her the opportunity for some redemption?

I have read other John Boyne books since his 2006 bestseller - most recently 'The hearts invisible furies' which I enjoyed. It was the story of Cyril Avery, a gay man in a rapidly modernising Ireland. Again he shows here that he's a great storyteller and develops engaging characters.


Gretel is an interesting proposition for the reader. You have to ask yourself how complicit she was while living in Auschwitz. How much did she know, and how much is she telling us? I think that will affect your opinion of the book - I felt that she was young when it happened, though she could have come forward to the authorities earlier. But she's kind and thoughtful and at times has tried to do good in her life. She's also funny and strong-willed, but complicated. Very human, in other words.

It’s very much a story about grief and guilt. About trauma, and attempting to escape the past. About running, but never being able to hide. But it's also a compassionate book, and Gretel is a deeply flawed but likeable character and we can see how she has been shaped by events.

“Guilt was what kept you awake in the middle of the night or, if you managed to sleep, poisoned your dreams. Guilt intruded upon any happy moment, whispering in your ear that you had no right to pleasure. Guilt followed you down streets, interrupting the most mundane moments with remembrances of days and hours when you could have done something to prevent tragedy but chose to do nothing. When you chose to play with your dolls instead. Or stick pins in maps of Europe, following the armies’ progression. Or flirt with a handsome young lieutenant. That was guilt.”

The author asks the question: What would you have done in twelve-year-old Gretel's shoes? Would you have alerted the authorities once the war was over? Did she turn a blind eye and pretend it wasn't happening? And with the death of her brother, did she pay a high enough price? When someone makes a mistake early in her young life, is she doomed for the rest of her days - can she be forgiven?

John Boyne himself says that “All the Broken Places” is a novel about guilt, complicity, and grief, a book that sets out to examine how culpable a young person might be, given the historical events unfolding around her, and whether such a person can ever cleanse themselves of the crimes committed by the people she loved....I have less interest in the monsters than I do in the people who knew what the monsters were doing and deliberately looked away.”

I find John Boyne to be a superb storyteller, asking thought provoking questions of the reader, and creating a difficult but likeable character who has such a dubious past. Reading a novel is an act of empathy and though I found myself struggling with some parts of Gretel's story, I never found her less than human. It takes great talent to pull that off.

The prose and storytelling in this are of the highest quality and I zipped through this book quickly. The subject matter, I feel, is handled sensitively. This one will tug at all of the heartstrings and leave you asking uncomfortable questions like the best books will. It's a terrific work of historical fiction, and a great page-turner, and I'll be thinking about 'All the broken places' for a while to come.

Struggled with this one to get into it. I am thinking it will go back to read the first book and then hopefully it will make it easier to get into

I love the way John Boyne writes. I know he has sometimes faced accusations of being close minded in his novels, and of perhaps telling sensitive stories insensitively, but I have found him to be humane, witty and very thoughtful. This book is no exception. Read it with the warmth it deserves.

I read this in one sitting. The writing is brilliant, it quickly draws you in and it’s hard to pull away. I didn’t love it as much as I enjoyed the previous book - it felt less compelling and perhaps more just like a sequel for the sake of it. However, it was also really enjoyable so a 4 stars for me!

Beautifully written this book was harrowing to read but a must read. Told from the perspective of the sister from The Boy in the striped pjyamas, gripping read. Highly recommend to everyone to read. Never forget.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC

I adored TBITSP and when i seen John Boyne had released a follow up i needed to get my hands on it.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read an arc copy of this book. It was a beautiful add in to the boy in the striped pyjamas. The contrast between current and historical sections of this book was brilliant. I loved how the author explores guilt in this book. Who would have acted differently? Could. You hand on heart say you would? These were the questions running through my head.
A proper soul searcher- I loved every page.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest, independent review.

Ninety-one Gretel Fernsby lives a quiet, comfortable life alone in a London mansion block she has lived in for decades. She refuses to talk about certain times in her past, particularly her escape from Germany, or her true identity, or her brother ... or that her father was the commandant of one of the most notorious Nazi concentration camps.

When a young family move into the apartment below her, Gretel strikes up an unlikely friendship with the young boy, Henry, who brings back difficult memories and risks her past being revealed.

'All the Broken Places' is a sequel to the 2006 novel 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas' and, as John Boyne states in his author note, "is a novel about guilt, complicity, and grief".

I found the sequel moving, gut-wrenching and thought-provoking. It was beautifully written with traumatic topics handled sensitively. Covering family, loss, love, sins and shame, we see Gretel attempt to seek redemption.

I loved the character of Gretel. She was a complex character and has made many mistakes, but she still seems kind and caring. I was not sure I would connect with a character of her age, but she felt 'real'.

The story is told in multiple timelines and places, each time with a significant event happening to Gretel. It flowed well, didn't drag and held my interest completely.

An outstanding read which comes highly recommended.