Boy at the Top of the Mountain

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.

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 * The Times * A remarkable feat . . . Compelling * Guardian * Disturbingly vivid, utterly readable and appealing to audiences of all ages * The Bookbag * 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 * Irish Independent * An affecting morality tale . . . It is the chilling portrayal of adolescent corruption and atonement that lingers * Daily Mail * Forceful . . . Reminding us that silence and compromise can foster their own overwhelming guilt * Australian * Exciting and thought-provoking . . . An excellent novel * Star, Malaysia * 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 * The Times * 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 * Parents in Touch * Another winner * Glasgow Sunday Herald *.

Reviews

John Boyne is the author of sixteen novels for adults, six for younger readers, a picture book and a collection of short stories. His 2006 novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide and has been adapted for cinema, theatre, ballet and opera. His many international bestsellers include The Heart's Invisible Furies and A Ladder to the Sky. He has won four Irish Book Awards, including Author of the Year in 2022, along with a host of other international literary prizes, including most recently both the 2025 Prix Femina Etranger and the Prix du Roman FNAC in France for The Elements. His novels are published in sixty languages. Twitter: @JohnBoyne Instagram: @JohnBoyneAuthor.