Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
I wanted to make sure I finished reading this before I catch the movie. With the movie in mind, I did have trouble not picturing Kate Winslet the whole time I was reading it. Good thing I like her, so it wasn't annoying or distracting.
I didn't find this book all that emotionally gripping, like the comments on the book jacket implied. It was a good read, but nothing spectacular.
I didn't find this book all that emotionally gripping, like the comments on the book jacket implied. It was a good read, but nothing spectacular.
This would have to be my pick of the year - it was so beautifully written and so touching that it made me cry. The story is really very simple but so well told with the most beautiful imagery that I was really in the moment and right there for the whole story. It explored the emotions of lust, guilt, love, bereavement, and anger. I highly recommend this book.
Was interested in the 2nd generation issues this book explored.
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this is one of those that you finish and immediately look forward to rereading
This book...I just don't understand what all the hype was about!
Yes, it took place during the WWII aftermath and mayhem, but it was not the love story that I thought it was suppose to be. I wonder if the movie was better?...
Anyway, this whole thing about Hanna being an illerate Nazi guard for the women concentration camps would have been an interesting story, but instead, Schlink does not divulge her true emotions. Maybe she really was an emotionless and numb person, but this was not the story I particularly wanted to hear!
This whole reason for why she went to prison instead of her saying and admitting to herself and to others that she was illerate. I just cannot see the justification in that. Her self-perseverance, for what I might ask, against realizing her true self, instead of going to prison. Uh, duh! This seems like a no brainer to me, but obviously not for Hanna. I would have taken the time AFTER the trial and learned how to read and write. It is NOT a bad thing to have, to be illerate that is. Yes, I may take it for granted myself at times, but I most certainly appreciate it! I love to read and write for that matter, but reading has become my entire life. I could never see hiding behind a fact of my true self.
When Schlink made comparisons of being illerate and being gay and not revealing one's true self...that definitely upset me. If it could save someone's life, or count less others like in this case, I would do it. My self worth is not worth that much to me. Hanna was a very self centered and egotiscal person. I disliked her very much.
When he left her that note in the hotel room...that disturbed me on so many levels, and frustrated me too! I knew after that point that she couldn't read, but she lied about it. Lied to the one person, if he really meant something to her, who actually cared about her. That could never be justified in my book.
And what was so wrong and shameful of being an illerate?! It's not like it's a terminal disease! It can be fixed or cured in her sense, which she would later abolish after curing herself in prison.
I understand that she was already a cruel and evil person when she solely took advantage of him as a 15 year old boy. And I will never understand how his "love" for her would carry on for the rest of life and eat away at him like a cancer. She took advantage of him sexually, emotionally, and mentally. She was a corruptor and manipulator. And he just let it happen. She was not only a pediphile, but a Nazi on top of it! A stupid, dumb Nazi who could not read or write! Grr...She really bothered me.
This book made me mad overall, because of the character of Hanna. I am always intrigued by the Holocaust and the aftermath of WWII and like to find new books on and about it. But this one would have to be one of the lowest ranking books about it. But it was a very quick read and I'm glad that I did not spend a lot of time reading it.
Quotes I liked:
"I could understand that she was ashamed at not being able to read or write, and would rather drive me away than expose herself. I was no stranger to shame as the cause of behavior that was deviant or defensive, secretive or misleading or hurtful. But could Hanna's shame at being illerate be sufficient reason for her behavior at the trail or camp? To accept exposure as a criminal for fear of being exposed as an illerate? To commit crimes to avoid the same thing?
How often I have asked myself these same questions, both then and since. If Hanna's motive was fear of exposure - why opt for the horrible exposure as a criminal over the harmless exposure as an illerate? Or did she believe she could escape exposure altogether? Was she simply stupid? And was she vain enough, and evil enough, to become a criminal simply to avoid exposure?" page 133
"How could we meet face to face without everything that had happened between us coming to the surface?" page 193
Yes, it took place during the WWII aftermath and mayhem, but it was not the love story that I thought it was suppose to be. I wonder if the movie was better?...
Anyway, this whole thing about Hanna being an illerate Nazi guard for the women concentration camps would have been an interesting story, but instead, Schlink does not divulge her true emotions. Maybe she really was an emotionless and numb person, but this was not the story I particularly wanted to hear!
This whole reason for why she went to prison instead of her saying and admitting to herself and to others that she was illerate. I just cannot see the justification in that. Her self-perseverance, for what I might ask, against realizing her true self, instead of going to prison. Uh, duh! This seems like a no brainer to me, but obviously not for Hanna. I would have taken the time AFTER the trial and learned how to read and write. It is NOT a bad thing to have, to be illerate that is. Yes, I may take it for granted myself at times, but I most certainly appreciate it! I love to read and write for that matter, but reading has become my entire life. I could never see hiding behind a fact of my true self.
When Schlink made comparisons of being illerate and being gay and not revealing one's true self...that definitely upset me. If it could save someone's life, or count less others like in this case, I would do it. My self worth is not worth that much to me. Hanna was a very self centered and egotiscal person. I disliked her very much.
When he left her that note in the hotel room...that disturbed me on so many levels, and frustrated me too! I knew after that point that she couldn't read, but she lied about it. Lied to the one person, if he really meant something to her, who actually cared about her. That could never be justified in my book.
And what was so wrong and shameful of being an illerate?! It's not like it's a terminal disease! It can be fixed or cured in her sense, which she would later abolish after curing herself in prison.
I understand that she was already a cruel and evil person when she solely took advantage of him as a 15 year old boy. And I will never understand how his "love" for her would carry on for the rest of life and eat away at him like a cancer. She took advantage of him sexually, emotionally, and mentally. She was a corruptor and manipulator. And he just let it happen. She was not only a pediphile, but a Nazi on top of it! A stupid, dumb Nazi who could not read or write! Grr...She really bothered me.
This book made me mad overall, because of the character of Hanna. I am always intrigued by the Holocaust and the aftermath of WWII and like to find new books on and about it. But this one would have to be one of the lowest ranking books about it. But it was a very quick read and I'm glad that I did not spend a lot of time reading it.
Quotes I liked:
"I could understand that she was ashamed at not being able to read or write, and would rather drive me away than expose herself. I was no stranger to shame as the cause of behavior that was deviant or defensive, secretive or misleading or hurtful. But could Hanna's shame at being illerate be sufficient reason for her behavior at the trail or camp? To accept exposure as a criminal for fear of being exposed as an illerate? To commit crimes to avoid the same thing?
How often I have asked myself these same questions, both then and since. If Hanna's motive was fear of exposure - why opt for the horrible exposure as a criminal over the harmless exposure as an illerate? Or did she believe she could escape exposure altogether? Was she simply stupid? And was she vain enough, and evil enough, to become a criminal simply to avoid exposure?" page 133
"How could we meet face to face without everything that had happened between us coming to the surface?" page 193
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I just re-read this and it is SO MUCH BETTER than the first time. I understood so much more and there was so much more to the story.