ALL THE BROKEN PLACES by John Boyne

Warning: the following review contains references to the Holocaust, grief and self harm, and family violence. If these topics are difficult for you to think about, I would advise discretion in both reading this review and the book itself.

🛑 Warning: the following review contains references to the Holocaust, grief and self harm, and family violence. If these topics are difficult for you to think about, I would advise discretion in both reading this review and the book itself.

All The Broken Places by Irish author John Boyne is a sequel of sorts to his most famous book, The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, which I read many years ago. I’ve had the book on my shelf for several months but picked it up last night to commence. I finished it in two sittings (only broken because I needed to sleep).

Boyne’s writing is excellent - easy to read, descriptive and evocative enough to have clear images in mind of what he describes.

The story is of Gretel, elder sister of Bruno who was the lead character in Pyjamas. Gretel and Bruno’s father was a senior figure in the Third Reich and oversaw the camp at Auschwitz.

The novel tells Gretel’s story in 2022 alongside significant junctures in her earlier life - first, in post-war Paris, where she escaped with her mother; second in Sydney, where she lived after her mother’s death in the early 1950’s; and in London, shortly after her Sydney stay.

These stories tell the story of Gretel as she learns to live with the knowledge she has of her father’s atrocities and her complicity in the actions of the Nazi’s, both during the war (when she was a child) and in the intervening years. Intermingled with this are the stories of Gretel as a 91 year-old woman living in London and her relationship with her downstairs neighbours. and others living in her building. It is her history that gives context to her current day decisions as an older woman.

All The Broken Places explores many themes: guilt, complicity in crimes, the committing of crimes, family, forgiveness, family violence and revenge. This is not to say there is not a story of redemption underlying Gretel’s story - to an extent, there is that. The reader only can decide if Gretel is entitled to forgiveness.

There has been much discussion and criticism of the first novel and this follow up, in particular the acquisition of wealth by Boyne based on his fictionalised books centred on the Holocaust. Jewish readers may well be justified to feel that his capitalisation of the most horrific juncture in their history is tasteless and cruel. However, as much as I understand that point of view, I would argue that literature would be significantly diminished if writers were to write only what they have personally experienced. Expecting as much is a binary approach to life and art, and would prevent many great stories being told. Although Boyne’s depiction of Bruno and Gretel might be seem as glorification or humanisation of Nazi’s, having read both books, I can’t share that opinion. I did not leave either book sympathising with Nazi Germany. What I did leave these books with - as I have many hundreds of books before and since - is that human beings are complex and imperfect.

Gretel is a deeply complex person - and while I have some empathy for her feeling that, as a child, she could not be held responsible for her father, I would agree that there is also a place for those who witnessed this abhorrent history to speak up against it and bring those who committed these atrocities to justice. Failing to do so can fairly be seen as complicity. That said, I can appreciate the deep fear Gretel may have felt in coming forward and speaking out after the war. Even where right and wrong is clear, no decision is without consequences.

I can’t say that I hated Gretel, despite where she came from or her many flaws as a human being. She could be, at times, cruel and cold. I don’t love her as a person, but I found reading her story compelling and one which gave me moments to stop and think. I believe that’s as much as can be asked of an author or a character.

All The Broken Places is well written and a page turner - and I believe it is a good novel worth reading. Should it (or its predecessor) be used in any teaching of the actual Holocaust? No. Absolutely not. But as a work of fiction, can it take a place amongst others to promote thought and further discussion? Yes. Can it be a starting point for educating young people (and not so young!) about the atrocities committed against Jews and others by the Nazis, with the knowledge that anti-semitism and other bigotry continues to this day? Also yes. Anything that provides a starting point to that education is worthwhile. This isn’t a non-fiction work and shouldn’t be read as such. But there is space for this book to exist and be enjoyed for what it is.

I read this book in about 8 hours and enjoyed it immensely, despite the sometimes horrific and cruel themes and the sadness underlying the storyline. Only each reader can decide whether Gretel is a character whose story is worthwhile reading, but I think it is. No one is perfect and stories such as Gretel’s can be useful. I don’t believe she is glorified in this book - but I am also not Jewish and so I cannot comprehend the hurt they may feel in such a story. Again - it is for the reader to decide.