The Absolutist by John Boyne

"The Absolutist", by John Boyne. This book is published by Other days in 2012 and has 320 pages.

This is the story of Tristan Sadler, a young boy who enlists in the army to fight against Germans by providing false age. Tristan is loathed by all and is as good as dead for the family. The reason, he is homosexual.

He becomes friends with Will, another recruit at the training academy, a son of Vicar. Both train together and talk about their lives. Upon completion of training, they are sent to Germany to fight. Will captures a young German soldier. One of their colleague kills him. Will can not digest the murder of an unarmed soldier. He fights for justice but is unsuccessful. This is when he declares himself an absolutist.

What is an absolutist? Can Tristan help him? Are they lovers? Does Tristan or Will survive the war? Who is Marian?

Author has handled the subject of homosexuality in this book. Mind you that although the book was published in 2012, the story takes place between 1911 and 1919. Even saying the word was a taboo in those days. Tristan is always at the receiving end because of his sexual orientation. He still finds some human beings who understand him in those days.

The story is very slow. Not much happens for pages. The tone is gloomy. But you want to keep reading. The book is written more at a psychological level than material. Tristan goes on to become a writer and confesses that he is the most feather man.

An OK book. Only serious readers should try it.

The boy in the striped pyjamas by John Boyne.

Mandar's book review (24th March 2014)

Completed "The boy in the striped pyjamas" by John Boyne. This book has sold more than 5 million copies.

The story takes place in 1943. This book is the world of a nine year old boy called Bruno. Bruno lives in Berlin in a huge five storied house with his parents and an annoying elder sister.

One day Fury (Fuhrer or Hitler) comes to his house for dinner and his father is transferred to Outwith (Auschwitz - a Nazi concentration camp) as Commandant. He does not like the new place. He is intrigued by people wearing stripped pyjamas on the other side of fence near his house.

He meets a boy who lives on the other side of fence called Shmuel. They strike friendship, each remaining on his side of the fence, chatting with each other. He find out that Outwith is actually in Poland and not in Germany.

Can the friendship blossom? Would someone play spoilsport? Can they play together? Can they be on the same side of the fence?

Bruno doesn't understand why the waiter in their house was a doctor and is not a doctor any more? Why the soldiers treat the people from other side with contempt? Why he has to keep his friendship a secret? Why one of the lieutenant is transferred suddenly? Why Shmuel is always hungery?

There is no violence in the book but there is a strong undercurrent of something sinister. The atrocities on and deaths of Holocaust victims appear to be downplayed deliberately in order to keep the  focus on Bruno's world.

Small Bruno doesn't understand world politics. He does not understand that his father runs a concentration camp. He always thinks of him as a hero. He doesn't understand why mother and father talk in raised voices. Why grand mother is ashamed of his father, her son.

The book leaves a big pit in your stomach at the end.

It's a good book and is only 256 pages long. Recommend reading.