I can't exactly say I've ever enjoyed a John Boyne book, exactly. But they're not about enjoyable things, they're crafted to make you think about the world, to get in touch with the most visceral, raw parts of the human condition and reflect.

This evocative tale follows Gretel, a 91-year old woman, living a wealthy and secure life in London and trying to escape the darkness of her past. Her Father, a prominent Nazi Commandant, was executed for his despicable crimes against humanity during the war and that shadow has followed her since she was a child. She has wandered all over the world, trying to find answers to questions she doesn't even know yet. But as she opens herself to connect with people, she sees moments from her past happening all over again - moments she could have made a difference, she could have helped, she could have saved someone but didn't.

If you've read TBISP, you'll know Gretel as Bruno's older sister, but if you haven't, this book is still readable as it very much focuses on Gretel and her life after the war. We journey with her as she travels the world in her youth after escaping the horrors of the war, trying to find meaning and solace but finding herself eventually very comfortable but very alone. The themes of responsibility, guilt and redemption are strong throughout - asking the question: are you just as guilty if you let something happen? Or are you a victim too? There isn't an easy answer to any of the questions posed throughout this story.

Gretel was a complex character, full of confusion and wracked with inherited guilt - however at times I was a bit fazed by her character, finding her elder self a little mismatched in the way she was written and finding it hard to get to know her and connect with her.

This is undeniably a haunting story that will stay with the reader for a long time.

I've not read The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and didn't realise this was a follow up story, exploring Gretel's life (Bruno's sister) until some way in.. I really appreciate that it was written in such a way that there was no need to have read the other book.. I was totally engrossed in this tale and read it from beginning to end compulsively during one of the bistering hot 37 degree celsius we have had this summer. It explores themes such as guilt, grief and culpability. Are you guilty if you try to look the other way? How selfish are we really at heart despite what we might protest about love for our fellow man? Thematically and stylistically it reminded me of A History of Loneliness also by John Boyne.

The story follows Gretel as she tries to make a life for herself after the war, escaping first to Paris, then Rouen, to Australia and then London. The chapters alternate between Gretel looking back on her life and the present where she is a sprightly 91 year old living a very comfortable but by choice, isolated life in a £3 million flat overlooking Hyde Park . I don't want to say too much or give spoilers but will say that there are some surprising twists and turns. I loved it.

If you have read The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, you will expect a brilliant further read and that is what you get here. Gretel is ninety one years old and lives in a posh apartment in London. She has spent her whole life hiding who she really is which is the daughter of a senior Nazi executed for war crimes which took place in a concentration camp where Gretel grew up. She saw things there which she can never forget but also cannot confess to. An early relationship with a man who turns out to be a Jew is typical of all that can go wrong as she can never escape her past. The arrival in the flat below of a family with an abusive husband who discovers her past gives her the problem of her past going public to save the child. This is another outstanding novel. It is challenging as well as well researched and written. It is a superb, iconic work. I recommend it as strongly as possible.

4.5 stars r0unded up to 5. John Boyne is a master storyteller always focusing on authentic human experiences and although The Heart's Invisible Furies will probably always be my best-loved book by him, All the Broken Places earns a very close second place. This is the adult sequel to his YA novel of the holocaust The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.

Ninety-one-year-old Gretel Fernsby is a strong, complex, and memorable character. Her story moves back and forth in time between Europe 1946 and London almost 80 years later. What made this different than most other HF novels is that the book doesn’t really focus on the war itself but is more an exploration of the emotional aftermath of war. The main question being - If you do nothing to prevent evil, are you just as bad as the evildoers? And at what point do you become culpable?

I came to this novel with some reservations. I've read other books by Boyne and it has been a hit and miss affair.

So I will start by saying this is a good book, well written and crafted by an expert in his field, but it is also contrived to an unnecessary extent and that sits uneasily with me. I will admit that The Boy with the Striped Pyjamas left me feeling slightly bewildered too. Gretel was more than a little younger than described, or just super human perhaps?

It will sell in great numbers on the back of his other novels, but I would hope the final published version will smooth out some of those gaping lumps that are in this ARC.

All the Broken Places is the sequel to the acclaimed novel; The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas. The story is revisited through the eyes of Gretel, the daughter of  a high-ranking Nazi (and older sister of Bruno in the first book), who is now 91 and living alone in a flat in a wealthy part of London.

When a young family moves into the flat below her Gretel is intrigued to know more about her new neighbours. However, after meeting the beautiful but depressed Madelyn, her controlling film director husband Alex and their studious nine year old son Henry, deep-seated memories and feelings from her past are triggered.

The story jumps between different periods of Gretel's past: her childhood in Poland, living next to the Nazi concentration camp, fleeing to Paris after the war with her mother and trying to disguise her identity, emigrating to Australia when she is in her twenties in another attempt to run away from the past and, finally, settling in England with husband Edgar.

This is an incredibly thought-provoking novel, which explores whether the children of emiment Nazis should be culpable for the crimes of their parents and punished. Throughout the story Gretel is desperately trying to hide her identity for fear of retribution. On several occasions she fails and is forced to move on again. Even when she is in her 90s she her past is in danger of  unravelling once again...

The book also looks at the patriarchy of society throughout Gretel's lifetime, how she feels controlled and belittled by her father and the other men in her life as a child and young women. She is then disappointed tjatvthis continues as an elderly woman when her son Caden (who has his eyes on his inheritance) tries to coerce her to sell her flat! I think this is also partly why she is triggered by the domestic violence in the flat below her.

The ending is a little surprising and im not sure i feel comfortable with it. I think it is because i am in two minds about how i feel about Gretel - does she deserve to be punished for the past or is she another victim caught up in the horrific events of the second world war? She denigrates herself as a mother but, ultimately,  does she put her son and family first?

This is a story that will stay in my mind for a long time as it brings up so many questions. Another amazing piece of historical fiction from John Boyne!

This sequel to the boy in the striped pyjamas was as harrowing and important as it’s predecessor. This was a heartbreaking story following Bruno’s older sister after the war where Gretel and her Mother have fled Germany. Through the character of Gretel, Boyne explores the feelings of guilt and loss following the events which unfolded in Nazi Germany. This instalment is thought-provoking and no less heartbreaking that the boy in the striped pyjamas.

Rarely does a book leave me drained to such an extent I know it will stay with me as long as The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas did. John Boyne has written an incredible novel that challenges the reader - our understanding, our empathy and ultimately our understanding of the human psyche. Firstly, although promoted as a sequel to The Boy In the Striped Pyjamas, I would not consider this a children's book

Continuing from the aforementioned novel, this is the story of Gretel- Bruno’s sister- told in relation to Greta’s life in the present aged 91 and the events of her life after World War II. Thus a harrowing read in relation to the past and present and makes the reader reflect upon guilt , retribution and an individual’s sense of determining how to attempt to right the appalling wrongs from their past. Told with compassion and understanding, this is a novel that is crafted so wisely that it leaves you breathless by the end. Juxtaposing past and present and the cruelties of the human and the moral conscience to do the right the thing , John Boyne presents the story of Greta with no obligation to like her but to reflect up how she must have endured the mental torture of that had been and the decision she makes to find some form of ultimate resolution or atonement for her “ sins” of complicity through association.

Without a doubt a book that needs to be read and already for me a book of my lifetime.

Heartbreaking, poignant and powerful. All the broken places is a mesmerising read and it captured my emotions fron the first page.

Beautiful writing and meticulous plotting brought each character to life. It was heartbreaking to return to the story of The Boy in Striped Pyjamas but I'm so glad I did.

This is a wonderful book

This is the long, long awaited sequel to the Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and it will make you cry, laugh, gssp in horror and feel every emotion in between. It is the story of Gretel and her mother, after the war, escaping from Poland and hiding their true identities to escape their past. Throughout her life, Gretel is consumed by guilt and her culpability in what her father was a part of. It never escapes her, and she never feels truly worthy. The theme of her love for children is strong throughout and the surprise towards the end will take your breath away and you'll require a few minutes to compose yourself. A truly wonderful story which will reignite your love for Bruno from Striped Pyjamas and yet again remind us that such horrors must never occur again.

How could the follow up to The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas be anything less than 5-star?

Deeply thought-provoking, moving and challenging at times, I was glad to have the chance to read this book. I implore people to read it, think deeply about the themes and issues within and discuss it with as many people as possible.

I have used The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas when teaching, and will be certain to use this book, too. Whilst these are works of fiction, it is often through stories that we are able to gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and humanity alike.

I have never read John Boyne's books before. I was offered the opportunity to review an advance copy of this book. On the basis of reading this novel I am now determined to read more of John Boyne's books. This is an excellent story, telling the key elements of the past life, and current life, of Gretel Fearnsby, the daughter of a prominent Nazi, who has never quite come to terms with discovering at age 12 what her father's work involved (I won't say more here as I hate spoilers). Not only was this an excellent story - but it also made me think how I, how any of us, would act had we been in Gretel's shoes - and whether guilt would have followed us all our lives as it clearly follows her.

John Boyne's All The Broken Places, the adult sequel to The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas. I have read the boy In the striped pyjamas, the movie destroyed me so I was worried about reading this book. It was heartbreaking but it was really thought provoking!

How much are we responsible for our parents when they do something horrifying. Should we take responsibility for there action.
91-year-old Greta has never gotten over the death of her 9 year old brother. She is introduced to 9 year old which reminds her of her brother.
There pov is past and present we slowly learn more about Greta's life following the death of her brother and the fall of Nazi Germany.
This is a hard read but it's also a great read, which I will recommend to others.

I was not a fan of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas because, although it was written as a novel it has since been used as factual when in reality the son of a Nazi camp commander would never have been able to become friends with a Jewish boy held in a concentration camp. So it was with interest that I saw this new story about Bruno's sister reflecting on her past life while living very comfortably in London.

John Boyne is a very good storyteller and I expect this book to be successful. I found it an interesting tale as Gretel moves through her life after leaving 'the place' (she can never name it) in Poland with her mother, first to France after the war has ended, then to Australia briefly, where she comes across her father's Nazi driver who she had a crush on when she was younger (the weakest section of the book) and finally to England where she eventually marries and bears a son.

Now widowed and aged 91 she lives on her own in a small block of flats and is not looking forward to new neighbours arriving and disturbing her peace. But she becomes involved with them, in particular making friends with Henry their young son, while keeping a close watch on another neighbour who shows early signs of dementia. When Gretel reminisces about her early life in London she unknowingly has a love affair with a Jewish man but doesn't realise it until she tells him about her Nazi father. This is a small but relevant detail. They had been sleeping together and she would have seen that he was circumsized.

It would have helped if there were headings to the chapters indicating when and where the action took place as it followed past and present timelines. A number of different issues were covered: guilt (mainly Gretel's own as she felt culpable for her father's actions) contemporary domestic violence, dementia (which wasn't essential and only touched upon) manipulation by family members and the effects of ageing. Gretel's voice was strong throughout (she gadded about London pretty well) and I would have put her in her 70s at the most, rather than her 90s. The final twist towards the end about her neighbour with dementia was unnecessary imo, as it felt contrived.

So, unlike most other reviewers this isn't a 5* from me but, as an enjoyable read with some scepticism on my part, it's 4* and my thanks to NetGalley and RandomHouse/Transworld/Doubleday for the opportunity to read All The Broken Places.

Free courtesy of Netgalley..

I have heard of the boy in the striped pyjamas but I have never read it or watched the film, so when I asked to read this book I wasn't really aware it was the sequel and I didn't really know until the end of the book.

The book is based on Gretel, who at 15 years old is fleeing Germany with her mother after the Germans have lost the war. They both are trying to evade capture from the Allied forces, and turn up in Paris with some money and a name change, so that nobody ever discovers who they really are.

The story follows Gretel's life as she moves through France to Australia and ends up back in London. The story is set when she is 91, and a new family is moving into the flat underneath hers, with the flashbacks from her escape from Germany and what happens after that and present time of her relationship with the family below the story of Gretel's life winds its way through the story.

Would I have clicked on sooner if I had read the previous book? maybe, as I still don't know what camp her father was in charge of. Did it spoil the book or make me feel I've missed something? Absolutely not, it is a wonderful story told from the other side of the war, from a young woman whose father was responsible for millions of deaths, how was she supposed to live with that guilt.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to learn more about WW2 and the devastating affect it had on people's lives.

What can I say about this book other than it was simply brilliant. I remember being absolutely heartbroken after reading the boy in the striped pyjamas when I was younger and this follow up was just simply fantastic. John Boyne does it again. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an advance copy, I will definitely be recommending.

A compelling and often heart-breaking read, Boyne expertly explores the indoctrination and grooming of a child in Nazi Germany. Expounding on this, he goes further, following the child, Gretel, a main character from the preceding "Boy in the Striped Pyjamas," into adulthood.

Exploring her inner demons and battle to regain empathy for those around her while trying to pay for the sins of her parents, Boyne gives us an insight into the malleability of a child when teaching them hatred. However, unlike those involved in crimes against humanity today, Gretel must hide her beliefs and past after the Reich's fall.

Coming to the horrific realization that her beliefs, her parents, and her compatriots were all wrong, she takes on many identities in many countries, finally settling in England. And so her journey of self-hate and attempts at redemption begins, a journey ultimately hampered by her early childhood. Unable to flush out the learned behavior of her youth, Gretel lives a nether half-life, never showing her true self to anyone, not even her child.

The charade continues until her 91st year in a mind-blowing finale that sees her finally gaining the peace she has so desperately traveled the world seeking.

Ultimately, Boyne highlights how easy it is to manipulate a child into accepting horrors and just how lost and damaged the adults are that do the manipulating.

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I was absolutely delighted to receive this to review, having become a big John Boyne fan in recent months.

This book was incredible. I reread The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas right before starting it and the transition between the two was brilliantly done, particularly between the first being a YA and the sequel being an adult novel. Fast paced and with many twists and turns, I think Gretel, and Bruno’s, story has been continued and completed in the best way I could have imagined.

That’s not to say that this wasn’t a difficult read, because it very much was, but I think it was executed brilliantly, with multiple timelines all coming together at the end of the book. Does it tie absolutely everything into a neat bow? No. But that’s not the way life is.

This book is out 15th September and I’d recommend to any John Boyne or historical fiction fans without any hesitation!

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the eARC!

Excellent sequel to The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. Ninety-one-year-old Gretel looks back on her family and losses. A young neighbour in trouble forces her to take a stand this time around.
Extremely moving page-turner with beautifully written characters.

All the broken places by John Boyne is the continuation of The boy in the striped pyjamas. I must admit I have only seen the film and not read the book of the previous story. But I am so grateful for a copy of this.
Gretel and her mother escape Poland in 1946 and head for Paris. They change their names and vow never to tell anyone who they are. But somehow, they are found out and captured by some of their villagers, their head shorn and are driven away from the village.
Years on Gretel, Now Mrs Fernsby is now 91 years old and now lives on her own in London in an apartment in Winterville court, Mayfair. Her husband Edgar died a few years earlier. She has a son called Caden. She has kept her secret who she really is for all these years.
A new family has moved in the flat above her. A woman who was once and actress, her young boy and her husband who is a film director Anthony DeWitt. She keeps seeing the little boy Henry, always on his own in the communal gardens reading. Nothin unusual but he always appears batter and bruises. His mother says that he is accident prone. But when Gretel meets the controlling father, she knows there is something more sinister going on and does all she can to help the boy and his mother. Trying to redeem herself a little bit of al the horrors that the family inflicted all of them years ago. Gretel is wracked with guilt in what happened all of them years ago. And vows never to be like her father. She wants to help someone, before her time is up.
Thank you, Random House Transworld, for a copy of “All the broken promises” Wow what can I say. Mr Boyne shows once again the expert storyteller he is. This is another brilliant and moving story of during and the aftermath of the atrocities that happened in WW2. I couldn’t stop turning the pages and can feel the emotions that was coming of the pages of this book. I really enjoyed this continuation of this story and I hope you all will too. 5 stars from me.