It is always difficult entering into a sequel for such a profound and well loved book but I think Boyne does a solid job at enhancing the story without taking away from the original. Like all Boyne's work, there is deep emotion and truth that he expresses so beautifully and this book reminds you why Boyne is such a powerful story teller and why he has produced such loved books. I think fan's of the BITSP will enjoy re-entering this world and exploring further the consequences of war and the generational horrors of the atrocities of this time. Not to be entered into lightly as a difficult subject matter.

This book is absolutely wonderful. I love the historical settings as well as the contemporary story about Gretel in her old age. Brilliantly nuanced characters, each with their own flaws, nothing is portrayed as black and white. Shocking in places with several disturbing themes, I love the way the book ties up the story of the past set during and after WWII with that of the present.
I do admire John Boyne as an author, this is another fantastic book from him.

All Th Broken Places by John Boyne
I give this book 5 stars

91 year-old Gretel Fernsby has lived in the same mansion block in London for decades.
Then, a young family moves into the apartment below her and Gretel begins a friendship with the little boy, Henry,But there are violent arguments between Henry's mother and his domineering father and injuries to Henry.
Gretel is faced with a chance to save a young boy - but to do so, she will be forced to reveal her true identity to the world. Will she make a different choice this time, whatever the cost to herself?

This is the sequel to The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas and is narrated by Bruno’s older sister Gretel. It has a present day timeline but also explores 3 pivotal points in her life……Paris 1946,Australia 1950’s and London 1953. It tells a powerful and tragic story of the aftermath of the holocaust and the prejudice,guilt and complicity Gretel experiences throughout her life because of the trauma of who she is and what her father did.The author has created a thought provoking follow up on how childhood experiences shape our adult life and the choices you make and whether it’s truly possible to erase your past and start over with no regrets! As a reader do you feel sympathy towards Gretel,the one thing I am sure of is that this book was capable of pulling at my heartstrings and this story will stay with me long after Ive finished reading it.
With thanks to Netgalley, John Boyne and
Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Doubleday for my chance to read and review this book

This is the hotly anticipated sequel to The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and features Bruno's mum and sister as they flee the aftermath of the Holocaust. Specifically the part the father of the family played in it. But I get ahead of myself. We actually reconnect with widowed nonagenarian Greta Fernsby as she lives now, in an apartment block in London. She has a son who she rarely sees and, apart from him and another lady living in the same block, she keeps herself very much to herself. She has managed to escape from her past - since fleeing Poland for Paris with her mother, in 1946. Physically that is, the mental aspect is still raw as we find out when she is rocked by the appearance of a new family moving in downstairs from her. A family with a 9 year old son. Who reminds her of Bruno... And the emotions that surround what happened to him...
There's a lot more going on in this book. A lot. And not only just filling in the gap between leaving Poland, via Paris and Australia, finally to London. There's Greta's involvement with the family downstairs, her secrets, her fears, her guilt. Her relationship with her son.
It's emotional. It's moving. It's beautifully written and moves from past to present seamlessly. The past illustrating and explaining the present at exactly the right times.
It's a wonderful book which will stay with me, as it's predecessor did before. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

5★
“I told myself that none of it had been my fault, that I had been just a child, but there was that small part of my brain that asked me, if I was entirely innocent, then why was I living under an assumed name?”

German-born teenager Gretel is living in Paris with her mother, having escaped there after the defeat of the Nazis in WWII. Her father was a high-ranking Nazi officer who has already been hanged for his war crimes. Her mother has made up a backstory for them, saying they are from Nantes, France, and were lucky to have had little to do with the war.

“Mother and I escaped Germany in early 1946, only a few months after the war ended, travelling by train from what was left of Berlin to what was left of Paris. Fifteen years old and knowing little of life, I was still coming to terms with the fact that the Axis had been defeated. Father had spoken with such confidence of the genetic superiority of our race and of the Führer’s incomparable skills as a military strategist that victory had always seemed assured. And yet, somehow, we had lost.”

It’s no secret that Gretel is the older sister of the boy from Boyne’s highly acclaimed The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, one of my favourite books. If you haven’t read it, you must!

Boyne introduces us to Gretel at ninety-one, living in a very comfortable flat in Mayfair, London, which her son, Caden, is anxious to sell (to tap into his inheritance) and move his mother into a nice retirement village. Gretel loves her home.

“My Mayfair residence is listed as a flat but that is a little like describing Windsor Castle as the Queen’s weekend bolthole.”

Caden is getting married for the fourth time, and Gretel knows he needs the money.

“Caden has settled down so often that he must be among the most relaxed men in England,”

She teases him.

“He sighed. ‘I worry about you on the stairs,’ he said half-heartedly.

‘And I worry about you pushing me down them,’ I told him, which made him smile.”

She loves her son, but she has all the advantages of a wonderful location plus only a few neighbours.

“Mr Richardson and I had enjoyed the perfect neighbourly relationship in that we had not exchanged a single word since 2008.”

Perfect. Not nosy, no uncomfortable questions. A younger (younger than Gretel) neighbour lives across the hall, and they are friendly, although Heidi is a bit gossipy, and her memory is getting shaky. Unfortunately, Mr Richardson has died and Gretel is hoping the new people will be as unintrusive as he was.

No such luck. The new neighbours are a beautiful mother, a domineering father, and a sensitive nine-year-old boy, Henry, eerily reminiscent of Gretel’s own family. In spite of herself, and her desperate attempts to avoid any reminders of her past, especially of her little brother, she becomes drawn to, and protective of, Henry.

Reminders can also be a word, a turn of phrase, or in this case, a look.

“His expression was one that I had seen before, when I was a child and living in that other place. The soldiers had worn it, almost to a man. A desire to hurt. An awareness that there was nothing anyone could do to stop them. It was mesmerizing. I could not look away and nor, it seemed, could he.”

This is an engrossing read that I didn’t want to put down. Gretel is not a loveable old lady, by any means, but it’s obvious why she’s so prickly. She becomes slowly but increasingly more uncomfortable as she gets older and realises how much privilege her father’s position gave their family and what she might owe for having enjoyed that privilege.

Her mother was a popular beauty until she became an alcoholic, and Gretel later enjoyed her own privilege of the power people confer on a pretty young woman. She could ask questions and flirt her way through any answers she didn’t want to give.

I believe everyone has their own line in the sand, the point beyond which they either won’t go or would be uncomfortable going. As we become more experienced and learn more, we may shift that line from ‘won’t’ to ‘uncomfortable’, depending on pressure and circumstances.

We see Gretel hesitate at the line she drew in her youth, her determination to leave the past in the past, and her continued justification for making that decision. For how much is she responsible and for what should she feel guilty?

If some Twitter critic tries to have a go at Boyne for cultural appropriation because he put us into the mind of a ninety-two year old woman, I’d like to see them try. I don’t know how he does it, but he has captured the somewhat conflicting desires for privacy and relevance which I think are typical of old ladies, and I should know.

Her whole life is believable - plus, he’s written a perfect ending.

An unexpected jump back into a world I found myself lost in many many years ago, and what an interesting way to do it!
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The storyline following this book is one of both ugliness and love, loss and reflection and an interesting take on what happens after such unspeakable truths, the sins of one’s family and you carry on through… a high recommendation for all those who loved The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.
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Thank you so much to the publisher and netgalley for the early copy

Just wow. I'm always a little wary of sequels, especially when I have loved the original novel. On the whole I find them a let down. This couldn't have been further from the case with All the Broken Places though.

Told from Bruno's sister's persepctive who is now 91 she reflects on her life since the tragic events of her youth and it's clear that despite being a young child there is a deep sense of guilt that she has carried all her life alongside her own grief. A beautifully crafted story, I am certain it will be another hit and it absolutely deserves to be.

“All The Broken Places” is the adult sequel to the young adult novel “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.” I have read the latter and found it to be a hugely moving book so had high expectations for this sequel.

By and large, it doesn’t disappoint. It’s difficult to say too much of the plot without spoiling the original novel for anyone who hasn’t read it. But this sequel tells the story of a young girl, Gretel, who flees Germany when the Nazis lose the Second World War and has to navigate taking on a new identity and attempting to build a new life in France. Eighty years later, we find Gretel living in London but events prompted by new neighbours force her to confront the guilt she feels over her part in atrocities committed during the war.

This is, once again, a very powerful book. Boyle expertly drip feeds us with information about Gretel’s post-war life, intertwining it with events in “modern day.” It covers the feelings of guilt and fear and leaves it open to the reader on how we should judge people (and children’s) complicity in horrific events.

With this being a sequel, there will inevitably be comparisons made to the original. And when the original has been such a success, it will be hard to match it. I feel that the author nearly does it! Part of the impact of the original is that it is told from a child’s perspective. This book loses that but I do feel that the themes are important and it will live long in my memory for that reason.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I am such a fan of John Boynes' work so when he teased about a sequel to one of his books, I was very excited. When he announced it would be a sequel to TBITSP I wasn’t too sure how that would work but I was keen to read it. As it was I read this in one sitting.

This was an interesting book and I liked the concept of hearing the story from Gretel’s perspective.

Although she was there in the middle of the camp and it’s horror, she was still a child. How much guilt should she carry? How can she separate the love she feels for father and square that with the horrific act he was responsible for?

It’s clear from the story that she carries a lot of guilt but not enough to give herself up to the authorities and when we meet her at the start of the book she is a 91 year old wealthy woman living in comfort in a fashionable part of London. As the story unfolds we learn more about her life since she escaped Germany and this runs alongside the present day thread of her relationship with her son and her neighbours who include a young boy.

Gretel ,like all of us, contains multitudes. She is a flawed and human character and Boyne writes her wonderfully. On the one hand she struggles with what she has witnessed as a child and displays empathy for those who suffered but on the other she won’t give herself up.

Her childhood experiences unsurprisingly impacted on her relationships through her life, with lovers, with friends and with her children. It does appear that she confessed her past to very few people throughout her life and this didn’t include her son, Caden. Regardless though it becomes apparent that he knows most of her story. I would have liked more on his feelings and reaction to learning of her past.

Gretel still mourns her brother and we find out the full extent of the terrible part she played in his death. It is fitting that it is at the end of her life she feels she can perhaps make amends in some small way and save the young boy from his violent father

The story is well paced but it also covers well trodden ground with a nice little twist near the end.

Was a very good read but not up to the author's usual giddy heights for me.

It took me a while to connect with this book - but when I did, probably around the half way mark, I found myself turning the pages very quickly until the end.
This book is very long which is probably why I struggled a bit at first. It is told in alternative time chapters which also confused me at first, but then when I knew what was what I found them easier to follow and therefore found reading the book becoming easier for me.

I really enjoyed reading about Gretel’s story which follows on from The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. Although I had read The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, it was a while ago so I couldn’t quite remember everything that had happened.
I liked the way the chapters were one in the present day and one from the past.
I liked the twist at the end.
I would definitely recommend this book to others even if they haven’t read The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas as I think it stands alone as a great story.

Although I’ve not yet read The Boy in The Striped Pyjamas, I could easily connect this sequel to an earlier important event in Gretel’s life. I think John Boyne is an outstanding writer and this novel had me gripped from page 1. The story of Gretel’s current life in London (aged 91) is told alongside her early years in Paris and Australia after escaping Berlin after the Second World War. I found her character compelling, and highly believable with her dilemmas, flaws and virtues. I liked the parallels between the past and present, particularly with reference to the young boys she encounters later in her life - in particular her neighbour, Henry. There were some great and unexpected plot twists which I won’t mention here, but I found the ending highly satisfying and I got a sense that Gretel was content to have reached that place.

As John Boyne says in the author’s note at the end, the novel is about guilt, complicity and grief, and examines the culpability of Gretel as a young person. I thought Gretel’s character allowed the reader to empathise and reflect upon the dilemmas facing her.

I’m pleased that John Boyne wrote this novel now and did not wait until he was in his 80s or 90s to write it, as also mentioned in the writer’s note. I loved reading this book and I hope that many other readers will enjoy it.

John Boyne has stated that he had always wanted to write a sequel to The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, but thought it would be when he was much older. I am glad he bought it forward as I thought this novel was an excellent sequel. It could also be read as a stand alone novel or following watching the film adaptation of the first book.
All the Broken Places is an adult book. It is the story of Gretel, the older child of the camp commandant, and a witness to the crimes that occurred at Auschwitz and in Nazi Germany.
Gretel is well portrayed. We initially find her I. Her 90s and living in post Covid London. As the story unfolds we find she has arrived there via Paris and Sydney. She is a complex character that it is hard to dislike, despite her many flaws. She makes you question your own views and wonder what you would do in her situation. Her worry about her tainted lineage is also an interesting concept that is well represented.
I liked the dual timelines and the supporting characters. John Boyne is talented when it comes to portraying children, and sharing their voices and lived experience. He made Henry so real and my heart, like Gretel’s, went out to him.
I definitely recommend this fascinating book.

It’s a long while since I read the boy in the stripped pyjamas so took a little while to connect the 2 books but once I did it didn’t disappoint. Following the life of Gretel the “older sister “ it goes from the past to modern day.
The story is well written and although I found the first few chapters slightly confusing as the time period jumps but once you realise that then it’s very easy to follow. As well as the timeline of the story the book also makes you consider issues like forgiveness, love, victims and family.
Thanks to John Boyne and his publisher. Also thanks to NetGalley.

Having enjoyed reading The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas many years ago I was so excited to hear that a sequel was coming out.

This book continues from the first book. It follows the story of Gretel as she escapes from Poland with her mother. It follows her journey from the past to now when she is in her nineties living in the posh area of London. Ever since her escape, she has had to hide her secret and make sure that no one ever finds out who she really is.

The story is well written, but I must admit it was a little confusing at first with all the back and forth between past and present, but it does all come together by the end.

This is a 400+ page book but the chapters are short which helps you speed through the book.

This is not just a historical fiction it's a book about much more. It covers issues about guilt, blame and redemption to name just a few.

I thought this was a great read and would highly recommend especially if you've read and enjoyed the first book.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, and Doubleday for my a copy of an eARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

A thought-provoking read that resists the binaries of "good" and "evil", "knowing" and "unknowing, "victim" and "perpetrator". An uncomfortable but pace-y book that is an important sequel to The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.

Like all John Boyne's novels, the language is rich and descriptive, and the story is told well. I was a massive fan of The Boy in the striped pyjamas and welcomed the opportunity to follow the characters into the future. Up to a point, I was enjoying Greta's story but found some of the plot twists implausible, particularly in the last quarter of the novel, and this diminished my enjoyment. I feel it would be more successful if this story were as straightforward as in the original novel.


Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC

This is the sequel to 'The boy in the striped pyjamas'. That book has stayed with me and so will this one. Well written with a great deal of empathy and sensitivity towards the subject matter I just had to keep on reading.
I liked the main character from the start and we follow her as she deals with the guilt and the impact on her life of her Fathers actions in Poland during WW2.
It jumps about from that period to modern day but it flows so never becomes confusing. Very thought provoking. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC

For those that loved The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas here is the long awaited sequel. If you haven't read the original book, this book acts very well as a stand alone too - although TBITSP is a classic everyone should read. This book, and it's predecessor, are part of the reasons that John Boyne is one of the best writers of our time.

Gretel is in her 90s and as sharp as she ever was. This is probably because she is burdened down with a huge secret that could blow her life apart. Not even her son knows her true history, and Gretel plans to keep it that way. The secret she holds has shaped her life in so many ways, and there were times she wanted to give it up, or run away, but now in her 90s she lives a fairly solitary life, apart from visits to her neighbour Heidi, and a few visits from her 3 times married son Caden.

When a couple move in to the flat downstairs, Gretel finds herself breaking her vows to keep her distance from others, when she sees how the wife and young son are being treated, with massive consequences.

Brilliantly told, with alternate chapters in the present and past, John Boyne shows why he is a consumate storyteller and a 'must read' author. This is John Boyne at his absolute best.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/60496739

All the Broken Places by John Boyne

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Here's the front matter

1946. Three years after a cataclysmic event which tore their lives apart, a mother and daughter flee Poland for Paris, shame, and fear at their heels, not knowing how hard it is to escape your past.

Nearly eighty years later, Gretel Fernsby lives a life that is a far cry from her traumatic childhood. When a couple moves into the flat below her in her London mansion block, it should be nothing more than a momentary inconvenience. However, the appearance of their nine-year-old son Henry brings back memories she would rather forget.

Faced with a choice between her own safety and his, Gretel is taken back to a similar crossroads she encountered long ago. Back then, her complicity dishonoured her life, but to interfere now could risk revealing the secrets she has spent a lifetime protecting.



This was a very evocative book that goes backwards and forwards in time building a clear picture each time of the life Gretel lives. The story is difficult to read in parts and Gretel is not an immediately likeable character, as the story unfolds I believe she is far to harsh on herself and has made decisions in the past to provide her with protection.

There is for me a theme that runs through our own lives and everyone around us. Are we all good or all bad - the reality is that we are always a mixture of the two good people do bad things and vice versa.

I found the book hard to put down as I was keen to know what was coming next both in the past and the present.

Beautifully written and handled with sensitivity and boldness