(Somewhat spoilers?)
This book is incredibly gruesome, disturbing and depressing.
But damn, it's a really good book.
This book will make you shed a thousand tears for the characters Bruno and Shumel. The second- last chapter of the story leaves your heart in a knot because of the innocence of Shumel and Bruno, when (if properly educated), you know what is going to happen but the story keeps dragging on and on leaving you in suspence, your mouth agape and biting your nails as you cry after. The bittersweet thing about this book is the innocence of Bruno, the main character in the story, how the author and reader have what of a silenced pact where you both know what's happening but hes merely moseying along the story in the moment, completely and totally unaware. What makes this story even worse, is that the things that were endured by Pavel and Shumel and the others in the camp really happened, and that's what makes it just as chilling.