Over 55,000,000 lives were lost in World War 2. Elephant Run is about a boy brought from London to Burma. When he arrives, many Japanese attack his father's home. The boy is then put to work by the Japanese. Roland Smith's Elephant Run has realistic characters, an amazing plot, and a life changing theme and I highly recommend it.

The characters are very realistic. “He turned his head toward the sound and saw a dozen men run out of the forest… Japanese soldiers!” He was always scared when the Japanese attacked and took over Burma. He did have feelings for a girl named Mya after she saved him from the Japanese killing him.


Elephant Run has an amazing plot. “He decided to leave the bolts along the top so the grate would stay in place.” When Nick was trapped in the Japanese base, he was coming up with plans to escape. When he escaped, he found out his father was in a slave camp and Nick wanted to get revenge, so he blew up the Japanese airfield with many other escapees that found out that the Japanese were not there allies.

Elephant Run had a life changing theme. The theme was that “war is hell”, but not everyone is ready to kill. Some people will help if it means the other person pain. “Must bow when speak to soldier… keep head down or soldier hit.” It also meant to thank men and women that gave there lives for freedom. The last thing it meant was that it was horrible to be a slave.

Roland Smith's Elephant Run has realistic characters, an amazing plot, and a life changing theme. It had good characters because they responded like real humans. It had an amazing plot because it included the slavery in Burma. It has a life changing theme because it teaches to respect people that gave there lives for you. If you wish to read a good historical fiction book, then you should read this.