The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

This was quite a short book and easy to read but I do not recommend it. I first heard about it in the Autumn at my creative writing class. Apparently it is written by someone who studied creative writing at UEA. The woman who had read it really recommended it as a good read. Reading the first chapter I knew it was a poorly written, unbelievable book. Unfortunately. Unfortunately because the subject matter is what has pushed this book to fame, and rightly so. In theory, given the author's writing credentials and the fact that he's tackling in a book for children such a gritty story line it deserves to have the level of success that it has/will have when the motion picture is out. The truth is that the hero of the story is Bruno and he is written in such a clumsy and patronising manner that nothing could redeem it. The author in his bid to write simplistically and naively from the point of view of a nine year old has underestimated the powerful imagination of childhood. At most points he treats his hero Bruno as though he were an imbecile or have the cognitive powers of a five year old. At some points he has the child make observations or say things completely out of character for a boy his age, befitting an adult.
The end is harrowing (and good). I don't have complaints about the storyline. I'm sure this is the sort of book that will make it's way onto school reading lists and curricula. For it's story content, this is fine although I would love to talk to a child who has read it to see if they related to Bruno or thought he was a realistic character.
In case I haven't stressed it enough, this really is a terrible book. I would like to get my money back. Really.