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The Wrong Boy

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( 2,862 ratings, 348 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Wrong Boy by Suzy Zail is a compelling young adult novel set during World War II. It follows the story of a Jewish girl named Hanna who, after being taken to Auschwitz, finds herself in a harrowing predicament when she becomes the camp commander's piano player. The tale explores themes of identity, survival, and the moral complexities faced in desperate circumstances.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you are drawn to gripping, emotional narratives set during difficult historical periods. The story offers a compelling look at a young girl's struggle for survival and love amidst the harsh realities of a concentration camp. It may appeal to readers who appreciate strong character development and intense, authentic themes.

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Hanna Mendel didn't plan on her street being turned into a ghetto. She didn't plan on being rounded up and thrown in a cattle truck. She didn't plan on spending her sixteenth birthday in Auschwitz, in a wooden barrack with 200 other prisoners. Most of all, Hanna didn't plan on falling in love with the wrong boy.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Hanna is a talented pianist and the protected second daughter of middle-class Hungarian Jews. Relatively late in World War II, the Budapest Jews were rounded up and sent to Auschwitz. Hanna, her mother, and her sister are separated from her father. Her mother becomes increasingly mentally ill until she too is taken away somewhere, and her sister Erika is slowly starving to death.

Hanna is a naive 15-year-old, but when presented with the opportunity to play piano for the camp commander, she is desperate to be chosen. She goes each day under guard to the commander's house and stands waiting in case the commander should want some music.

Also living in the house is the commander's son, Karl. A handsome young man who seems completely disengaged from what is happening around him, Hanna hates him as he sits drawing in the music room. But the longer Hanna goes to the house, the more she realises there are other things going onβ€”secret things. Karl may not be the person she thinks he is. Before she knows it, she has fallen in love with The Wrong Boy.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Wrong Boy by Suzy Zail has been praised for its compelling and authentic voice. It provides an engaging and thought-provoking experience for young adults interested in historical narratives, exploring themes of war and superiority with a poignant and minimalist style.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781742031651

Publisher: Walker Books Australia

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 March 2012

Country: Australia

Imprint: Black Dog Books

Audience: Teenage

DIMENSIONS

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 231g

Pages: 256

About the Author

Suzy Zail has worked as a litigation lawyer, specialising in Family Law, but now writes full time. Among other titles, she has written her father’s story, The Tattooed Flower, his life as a child survivor of the Holocaust. Her first novel for young adults, The Wrong Boy, was short-listed for the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year Awards, the Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature, the WAYRBA, USBBY and YABBA awards. Her second novel with Black Dog Books, Alexander Altmann A10567, was a Notable Book at the CBCA Awards. She lives in Melbourne and has three children.

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