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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
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.
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is one that will stay with me for a long time, and I'll turn it over in my head many times. I am still not sure I understand the Hanna's reason for wanting to keep her big secret a secret, it didn't seem like that big a deal.
But this book asks many questions and meditates on the relationship between the Germans that were part of the war and those who lived just after. I suppose the whole book can be taken as metaphor for two generations. but that would deny the relationship between the two main characters.
Of course, I do need to go watch the movie now.
But this book asks many questions and meditates on the relationship between the Germans that were part of the war and those who lived just after. I suppose the whole book can be taken as metaphor for two generations. but that would deny the relationship between the two main characters.
Of course, I do need to go watch the movie now.
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I would love to say that I couldn't put this book down, that I thought it was a great read. But, I can't. I didn't like it.
The first half, I couldn't get past the fact that a 15 year old boy was having an affair with a woman more than double his age!!
The story was told so matter-of-factly ~ the affair, the love, the loss ~ that I had a hard time really getting into it.
The author describes the main character's inability to feel ~ that he has been numb most of his life. I think the writing reflects the numbness. He just seems to be telling you what he did today, not his whole tragic life story.
If this site had thumbs, I'd give it both thumbs down.
The first half, I couldn't get past the fact that a 15 year old boy was having an affair with a woman more than double his age!!
The story was told so matter-of-factly ~ the affair, the love, the loss ~ that I had a hard time really getting into it.
The author describes the main character's inability to feel ~ that he has been numb most of his life. I think the writing reflects the numbness. He just seems to be telling you what he did today, not his whole tragic life story.
If this site had thumbs, I'd give it both thumbs down.
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Good writing – praise be the translator! Better than usual plot and a couple of killer scenes, especially the very beginning and also the hitchhiking scene. Still there were a couple stretches where I thought the author was belaboring his point, and I found a couple of the psychological effects hard to swallow. Aside from that, the “secret” was obvious very early in the book. It wasn’t some huge revelation. Enjoyed it though. Quick read.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Classic case of wishing I had read the book before seeing the movie. I enjoyed both, but I would have loved to discover Hanna's secret on my own. I would have loved to follow Michael through his life without the knowledge of where he was going to end up. That being said, the novel proved to be an excellent adjunct to the film; it was introspective (without being monotonous), providing a more in-depth examination of Michael's moral quandaries and intense guilt. It's nice to read a novel that makes you think - especially one with such rich use of literary devices.
As any novel about the Holocaust, "The Reader" was not always easy; in fact, there were times when it was horrifying, both in terms of content and what the characters made you feel. However, I think it does justice to the atmosphere of post-WW2 Germany without resorting to sensationalizing an event that had such a horrible and profound impact on so many.
The stark, sparse prose works very well with the subject matter, and though it was by no means a "thriller", I clipped along at a steady pace, always intrigued to know what would happen next. An excellent read, and I'm glad that I didn't pass just because I had already seen the movie.
As any novel about the Holocaust, "The Reader" was not always easy; in fact, there were times when it was horrifying, both in terms of content and what the characters made you feel. However, I think it does justice to the atmosphere of post-WW2 Germany without resorting to sensationalizing an event that had such a horrible and profound impact on so many.
The stark, sparse prose works very well with the subject matter, and though it was by no means a "thriller", I clipped along at a steady pace, always intrigued to know what would happen next. An excellent read, and I'm glad that I didn't pass just because I had already seen the movie.