Review of The Boy at the Top of the Mountain by John Boyne

John Boyne

John Boyne is one of Ireland’s most versatile, prolific and hard working writers. His latest novel for adults, A History of Loneliness which examines child abuse in the Catholic Church was widely praised for its candour, and he recently published Beneath the Fire, a collection of short stories, again for adults. Add to the mix his new children’s book, The Boy at the Top of the Mountain and we begin to wonder if there are in fact two John Boynes.

Boyne became an international name after the publication of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, which has won countless awards and was also made into a successful movie. Set in Auschwitz, it’s the story of nine year old Bruno, the son of a German officer and his burgeoning friendship with Shmuel, a boy literally from the other side of the fence.

boy at the top

The same German officer and his family also appear briefly in The Boy at the Top of the Mountain. Set once again during World War II, the hero (or anti-hero) of Boyne’s new book is Pierrot, a young boy living in Paris with a French mother and a (deceased) German father. His best friend is Ansel, a young Jewish boy with a gift for writing. When his mother dies, after a short spell in an orphanage, Pierrot is sent to live with his aunt, a housekeeper at the Berghof, Hitler’s infamous mountain-top residence in the Bavarian Alps.

Pierrot, now renamed Pieter by his aunt to keep him safe, becomes obsessed by Hitler who takes him under his wing and, twisted by the man’s philosophies and impressed by his power, the once sweet, innocent boy learns to hate. Pierrot’s rapid transformation from kind eight year old to cruel Hitlerjugend, happy to betray all those close to him, is chilling.

Boyne ends the novel in a poignant, hopeful manner but it does not dispel the sense of darkness that hangs over the reader. But as this is a book about warped egos, evil and manipulation could it be any other way? This powerful, unsettling novel is a must read for older children (11+) and adults.

Sarah Webb’s latest book for children is Sunny Days and Mooncakes (Walker Books).

All Star Irish Line Up - Beyond the Stars - to Support Fighting Words

Roddy Doyle

Harper Collins Press Release HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISH ALL STAR IRISH LINE UP IN SUPPORT OF RODDY DOYLE’S CREATIVE WRITING CENTRE AND SEEK NEW TALENT TO COMPLETE THE COLLECTION HarperCollins is delighted to announce the acquisition of Beyond the Stars, a collection of short stories from a stellar line up of Irish authors and illustrators, edited by bestselling author Sarah Webb. World rights were acquired by Publishing Director Ruth Alltimes from Philippa Milnes-Smith of the Lucas Alexander Whitley Agency.  All profits will go to Fighting Words, the centre for creative writing set up in Dublin in 2009 by Roddy Doyle and Sean Love. Based on David Eggers’ US-based 826 Valencia project and run by volunteers, it offers free creative writing tuition to children. Beyond the Stars features twelve tales of adventure, magic and wonder, written by some of the most outstanding talents in children’s fiction today, including John Boyne, Eoin Colfer, Judi Curtin, Roddy Doyle, and Derek Landy, with stunning illustrations from the likes of Chris Haughton, Chris Judge, P. J. Lynch and Niamh Sharkey. It will be published as a gorgeous hardback gift edition in October 2014. The Irish authors have contributed eleven short stories and to complete the book HarperCollins is launching a search for the twelfth and final winter-themed tale, to be written by a child between the ages of 8 and 16. The competition closes at the end of June 2014 and the final choice will be made by a panel of experts and illustrated by Irish Children’s Laureate, Niamh Sharkey. The winner will have the chance to work with an editor and see their story published; their school will also win a selection of books for their school library. Full details can be found at http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/beyondthestars. Ruth Alltimes said, ‘We are proud to be able to support the wonderful work done by Fighting Words and to bring our publishing passion to a project which builds on the strong relationship we have with Irish talent. Sarah Webb and the writers and illustrators involved have been extremely generous with their work and time – it is truly a creative writing project from the heart, and we’re delighted to be part of it.’ Sarah Webb said, ‘It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with some of the best children’s writers and illustrators on Beyond the Stars. I am extremely grateful for their support. I can’t wait to see the competition winner’s story nestling alongside their stunning work – what a prize!’ Roddy Doyle said, ‘Fighting Words is not state funded, and our existence is dependent on people who believe passionately in what we do – like the writers and illustrators of these brilliant stories. We are especially grateful to a great friend of Fighting Words, Sarah Webb, the creative and driving force behind this wonderful collection.’

Issued by: Mary Byrne, Publicist, HarperCollins Children’s Books T. 020 8307 4541  E. mary.byrne@harpercollins.co.uk Rights Enquiries: Carla Alonzi, Head of Rights, HarperCollins Children’s Books T. 020 8307 4289  E.  carla.alonzi@harpercollins.co.uk NOTES TO EDITORS • HarperCollins UK publishes a wide range of books, from cutting-edge contemporary fiction, to block-busting thrillers, from fantasy literature and children’s books to enduring classics. It also publishes a great selection of non-fiction titles, including history, celebrity memoirs, biographies, popular science, dictionaries, maps, reference titles and education books, and its digital business is thriving. With nearly 200 years of history HarperCollins publishes some of the world’s foremost authors, from Nobel prizewinners to worldwide bestsellers. In addition it publishes the works of Agatha Christie, JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis. It was the first major UK trade publisher to go carbon neutral in December 2007. HarperCollins Children’s Books is one of the leading publishers of children’s books, recognised for nurturing new talent as well as boasting a reputable list of established best-selling authors. Respected worldwide for its tradition of publishing quality, award-winning books for young readers, HarperCollins is home to many children’s classics, including The Chronicles of Narnia, Hello Kitty, the Paddington stories, The Cat in the Hat and The Tiger Who Came to Tea, and to some of the biggest names in children’s literature past and present, including J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S.Lewis, Dr. Seuss, David Walliams, Derek Landy, Louise Rennison, Lauren Child, Judith Kerr, Oliver Jeffers and Michael Morpurgo.