Book Review – Stay Where You Are And Then Leave

by John Boyne (Doubleday) ISBN: 978-0-857-53294-7

This tale is set in England in 1918, and it is about a young boy, whose name is Alfie. His father is fighting in the war, so he lives alone with his mother who is often out of the house. She needs to work many jobs to make a living, because the family is very poor. She always tells Alfie that his father is on a secret mission for the government, and that that is why he hasn’t been answering their letters lately.

Alfie knows there is a secret that his mother is keeping from him, and he is determined to find out what it is. He goes on an adventure to find his father, and possibly a truth that he does not want to know.

The author shows all the stories of the people in the war, not just those of the soldiers. For example, there is a conscientious objector in the story. There is also a family who is suspected of betraying their country, and they have to move away, in a heart-breaking manner.

This is a beautiful book.

Veerle Vijverberg (14)
5/5

Buy the book here

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Posted on: 8th January 2014
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