John Boyne

When Pierrot becomes an orphan, he must leave his home in Paris for a new life with his Aunt Beatrix, a servant in a wealthy household at the top of the German mountains. But this is no ordinary time, for it is 1935 and the Second World War is fast approaching; and this is no ordinary house, for this is the Berghof, the home of Adolf Hitler. Quickly, Pierrot is taken under Hitler's wing, and is thrown into an increasingly dangerous new world: a world of terror, secrets and betrayal, from which he may never be able to escape.

The Boy at the Top of the Mountain

Cried so much, had an empty feeling after.

Elise Rosa Cornelis

Isabela H 

I enjoyed this book because it truly translated the full horror of the war(s) while focusing on the story of one individual. We all know how horrible war was on a grand scale, but it always really upsetting to see how it impacted people on a personal level, especially children. 
With Pierrot, we start off full of hope that he's going to remain the same innocent child that he was born as, but it quickly becomes clear that just like all children, he remains open to suggestion, something that was all to abundant once he came to Germany. As a reader, you just find yourself mentally screaming at Pierrot to stop what he's doing, to stop listening to the bad influences and think for himself. 

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a solid war story focusing on the life of one child, uprooted from his home in Paris and forced to find a new home in Hitler's Germany, way too close to the man himself to remain innocent for long. 

** spoilers ahead **

I think my favorite moment in the book is when Pierrot speaks to the last maid deserting her post after Hitler loses the war. He tries to argue with her that he can't be blamed for his bad actions because he was only a child, but she tells him that it's impossible for him to claim ignorance when he's aware of how his actions had consequences. I think this moment was particularly significant for me because he takes a position that many attempt to take as well - trying to absolve themselves of guilt through ignorance. But as the maid points out, you can't avoid responsibility for your actions because you know what the consequences for your actions are. Unfortunately, Pierrot knew that what he was doing was suspect, and I appreciate that he has a moment recognizing that he is in part responsible for the atrocities committed by Hitler. 
I'm still not entirely sure that I support the end of the story, Pierrot's reunion with Anshel. I think that it was a beautiful moment to see them interacting for the first time after so many years and so many terrible events, but when I stop and think about Anshel's point of view, I'm not sure how much Pierrot deserves to reconnect with Anshel. HOWEVER, I will say that as a moment, it was truly beautiful to experience because you have someone looking for redemption from the one person who could grant it.

The Boy at the Top of the Mountain

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