All the Broken Places: A Novel

I searched Amazon for World War II historical fiction and selected John Boyne’s “All the Broken Places.” Boyne’s gripping novel was the first I’ve read by this author, and in Part 1, I met ninety-one-year-old Gretel Fernsby and embraced her character. She reminds me of several older women I’ve met who struggle with trauma, pain, and grief from their past and attempt to hide to protect the innocent and themselves. From page one, I was hooked on the persnickety character and felt her remorse for the circumstances in her childhood that she couldn’t control.Through Gretel’s eyes, I peered into a dark corner of what it must have been like to live close to the barbed wire of a “farm” camp, slip underneath the jagged, high wire, and meet a Jewish boy who developed a friendship with Gretel’s brother. I balanced on the narrow tightrope with Gretel, walking in the shoes of the daughter of a Nazi high officer and learning the high cost of crossing that line between compassion and action.I’m a British accent fan, so I also purchased the audiobook. To my delight, the narrators Kristin Atherton and Helen Lloyd excelled as professional voice actors. I felt like each character possessed distinct traits that differentiated them from one another, and I visualized them entering and exiting the stage during chapter changes.If you enjoy learning more about World War II and experiencing history through fictional characters, John Boyne’s “All the Broken Places” might appeal to you. You may also enjoy “If I Were You” by Lynn Austin and “Sarah’s Key” by Tatiana De Rosnay. If you appreciate nonfiction, I recommend Corrie Ten Boom’s “The Hiding Place” and “Tramp for the Lord.”

To my knowledge, I’ve never read the author’s The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. I distinctly remember seeing parts of the movie, and am familiar with its subject matter. This novel is essentially a sequel to that novel, following the life of young Bruno’s sister in the years after the events at Auschwitz.Gretel is a German woman, whose father was Commandant at Auschwitz. In the aftermath of the war, as her father is executed for war crimes, young Gretel and her mother flee to Paris under assumed names.The book follows two threads. One features 91-year-old Gretel in the final stages of her life in a tony flat in London. The other follows her earlier life, first in Paris, then Australia, and finally her early years in London.This is a magnificent novel. Well deserving of its Pulitzer Prize nomination. It is well written and highly engaging. My only quibble would be the repeated insinuation that Gretel is always in danger of discovery and ultimately harsh punishment for her role during the war. Her role was that of a 12-year-old child. I doubt, under those circumstances, that she was ever in any danger whatsoever, other than that of possible bad publicity.

I tried to read this book before but couldn't, gave it another look and finished it. This book is very different from most books I've read about WW2. This book is written from the German perspective. Gretel is the daughter of an SS officer. Its the sequel to the book, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

I am left with questions about family sins and forgiveness. Are we responsible for the sins of our parents. The content may be hard to read for some but definitely a good read.

Beautifully written. I read this in one day because I couldn't put it down. Gretel is a woman of courage, strength, and spunk, as well as profound sadness. Rarely does a book evoke so much emotion but this one did. I smiled, laughed, and cried. Don't pass on it. It'll keep you thinking long after you've finished reading

This story goes back and forth between past and present. The main character is unusual in that she was a child while her father a German SS commandant was responsible for running one of the polish death camps. She spends her life hiding and fearing recognition of her for her family’s brutality. In the end she comes to term with it in an unlikely way.

Kept my interest throughout.WW II historical fiction is one of my favorite genres.The alternating chapters were well written.

I have always had a deep interest in this period of history. I had watched the movie, "The Boy in Striped Pajamas" years ago. I'm not sure how I stumbled onto this book but I am so glad I did. It brought more meaning to the movie, and to the suffering nd anguish of some of those on both sides of the war. Heartbreaking.