The Boy Who Loved Anne Frank

[steffee]

Has anyone read this, by Ellen Feldman?

In Anne Frank's diary, Peter (Van Pels) tells her if he survived he would go somewhere where he wouldn't be recognised, and could pretend he was not Jewish.

There is no record of his death.

This is written by Feldman from the point of view of Peter, had he still been alive, and living a new life in New York. But he can't get away from what happened, particularly as Anne Frank's diary was published.

I haven't read it yet, I just wondered whether I should, as I love The Diary of Anne Frank and don't want to spoil that.

 

[wilderness]

Hey
I just bought this book and am really looking forward to reading it! I visited all the death camps earlier this year and am very educated about the diary of Anne Frank and am really looking forward to reading this novel.
I want to hear feedback on the book, too!!

Lani

 

[WoundedThorns]

i'm pretty sure that i read in the end of The Diary of Anne Frank that peter passed away in the camp he was at. that author could've just thrown that detail in to increase sales.

 

[Scottishduffy]

Yes, at the Anne Frank House they have Peter Van Pels as dying in the Mauthausen camp in Austria on May 5, 1945. Only days before liberation.

I still think is would be a wonderful book to read, but the Nazis did keep pretty darn good records of people in their camps.

 

[wilderness]

Hey
The book is a fictional novel, and I quote from the blurb which I am holding now...
'This is the story of what might have happened if the boy in hidding had survived the horror.'

The author tells us at the end of the book how she visited the Anne Frank house and speculated about Peters life. She created him from Anne Frankks words and imagined where he would be now, if he survived.

I'm 80 pages through and am enjoying it. I will write again once I have read more.

Lani

 

[StillILearn]

Please let me know if this would be a good read for a American Jewish girl aged thirteen. She is a tepid reader.

 

[sirmyk]

Oops, wrong thread. I thought you were discussing The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon...

 

[wilderness]

Hey
I recently finished the book and it had a very, very weak ending.
The emotions of the characters was very weak and was not written in a plausible manner. I was really disappointed. It was good up until the last 50-70 pages.
Lani

 

[steffee]

Aww, shame about the ending. I still haven't started this but was looking forward to it.

Still, if it's ok before the last few pages, it still might be worth a try.

Thanks for telling us what you thought.

 

[wilderness]

Pleasure.
You should still read it, it was enjoyable.

Lani

 

[Isabell]

but the Nazis did keep pretty darn good records of people in their camps.

Really? Because we still cannot find records of where my grandfathers mother and father and seven siblings were taken after the Lodz Ghetto.