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The Boy at the Top of the Mountain

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The Boy at the Top of the Mountain

By: John Boyne
Narrated by: Alex Wyndham
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

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.

©John Boyne 2015 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

 Action & Adventure Geography & Cultures Historical Historical Fiction History & Culture Literature & Fiction Fiction

Critic reviews

It’s impossible to put down: devastating and devastatingly good, one of my top three children’s novels of the year so far . . . A difficult story to pull off, but with his perfect pacing, lack of sentimentality and refusal to submit to a neat end, Boyne has won me over – all over again
A remarkable feat . . . Compelling
Disturbingly vivid, utterly readable and appealing to audiences of all ages
There is a sureness and a simplicity to the writing that is very impressive . . . In The Boy at the Top of the Mountain, Boyne has delivered a powerful account of how one boy was seduced by Hitler and Nazism and paid the price. The final pages, in which he meets the Jewish friend of his boyhood and seeks redemption, are very moving. Younger readers will lament the corruption of Pierrot; older ones will perceive what Boyne is trying to tell us: if this could happen to Pierrot, it could happen to us
An affecting morality tale . . . It is the chilling portrayal of adolescent corruption and atonement that lingers
Forceful . . . Reminding us that silence and compromise can foster their own overwhelming guilt
Exciting and thought-provoking . . . An excellent novel
With his perfect pacing, lack of sentimentality and refusal to submit to a neat end, Boyne has written one of the children’s books of the year
A powerful new novel from the author of the highly acclaimed The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, and it is equally atmospheric and disturbing . . . Mesmerizing
Another winner
All stars
Most relevant
Never fails to take you on a journey without a map …intriguing with superb voice acting narration.
Given the subject matter , not sure I enjoyed it but I certainly couldn’t put it down

Boyle at his best !

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John Boyne is one of my favourite authors, he is an exemplary writer and rarely disappoints

This short story packs a punch, with an echo of his previous book, The boy in the striped Pyjamas.

Mr Boyne writes with such emotion and passion and Alex Wyndham narrates it with those qualities, I certainly do not understand the criticism of previous reviewers to this tried and tested narrator.


Outstanding

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The story is lovely and well written. I'd have sent it back if I could based on the dreadful performance though

Great story, terrible narration

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The narrator spoiled it for me. Too much drama in his voice otherwise good

Great Story

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A moving story, but the repetitive cadence in the recording was a major detracting part of the audiobook.

Great book, not a great narration

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