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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Read this for my final year of my degree in German. Not sure why we needed such graphic descriptions of sex between a 15 year old and a woman in her 30s to be able to appreciate the second and third parts of the book, which were very fascinating and brilliantly written, and lined up well with my study and research into the concept of "Deutsche Schuld". I had to dock a star for the first part, there could have been better ways to build up an image of the woman who then stands on trial for a war crime, and the young law student who can't stop attending the court proceedings.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Das Buch kommt für mich in die mentale Schublade „zurecht ein Klassiker“
The Reader, by Bernhard Schlink, tells a story about a 15 year old, Michael Berg, who lives in Germany pre-WWII and whilst recovering from a long-term illness, meets and pursues a sexual relationship with a 30 something year old woman, Hanna. The nature of their relationship weirded me out for a while (not that it doesn’t anymore), but I find that her willingness to exploit him sexually creates this strong hold over Michael and endearment for Hanna that he is not able to shake throughout his entire life. This is also the first book I’ve annotated since high school, which made it more enjoyable to actively participate while reading and had me underlining early parts of the book with “wtf” and “this is creepy”. Later on in the book, trials surrounding holocaust camps occur, and I think that the reflections of Michael, the narrator, offer an interesting take to the whole situation. The narrative focuses less on the atrocities themselves, and more so how the next generation of German citizens experiences the collective cultural guilt of these sins, as well as condemning their parents and the older generation for being complicit, active, or tolerating anyone who played a part in it. Overall, this book took me a while to get through, and I think it was well written but just not the story I was expecting. I could not get over how strange the central plot of the relationship between Michael and Hanna was, and thought so much how creepy and inappropriate it is. It is interesting to see Michaels character development throughout his life, but at the same time not really, because he isnt really a super likable character due to the fact that we don’t know Michael for who he is, only for his obsession with Hanna (which may actually just be who he is). I just wanted to say “move on and get a grip!” Like another reviewer said, the takeaway from this book I suppose is that literacy is something we take for granted (which doesn’t seem relevant in the grand scheme of this review, but it revealed later on in the book).
The Reader really makes you think about the Post World War II era in Germany. Most books I've read focus on the War, or the events that take place during the war - sometimes from the perspective of a German Nazi. The person is usually a young male, who is clearly conflicted about what he is doing or brainwashed and usually dies before the war ends. Thus, the reader never has to think about the aftermath that would ensue.
The Reader is different, it focuses entirely on the aftermath. The story reflects the actions of Hanna, a 43 year old female. We never see things through the viewpoint of Hanna as they were happening. We only get to see her life after the war and events during the war have already happened. This story makes you really search your soul, asking as Hannah asks the judge -"What would you have done?". It will leave your psyche feeling conflicted about how members of the Nazi party were treated after the war. Many went on living normal lives, and living with their own guilt for years before they were prosecuted. You'll begin to wonder what you really would have done, if you had been in the same situation as Hanna. For me, I hope I would have acted differently, but facing the obstacles that Hanna did, I can't confidently say I would have.
I have noticed a recurring theme, in books that follow the WWII era past the ending of the war. There is generally no closure. Characters usually do not fully confront the issues they have been wrestling with for decades. They don't ask the questions or tell the bits of the stories that may have been excluded. In some situations these stories that are left untold could change everything. I think they are written this way as there is truly no other way to represent the hole, the gaping hole, that the Nazi party left in Germany. People felt that they couldn't say good things about people who done such bad things - but doing so would have given families peace, maybe even hope.
The Reader is not an easy book to read, you will think about it for days after you finish reading it. But, it should be read. It is important that we see and think about issues that matter from a perspective that is different from our own. It challenges our beliefs and helps us to look at the world differently.
The Reader is different, it focuses entirely on the aftermath. The story reflects the actions of Hanna, a 43 year old female. We never see things through the viewpoint of Hanna as they were happening. We only get to see her life after the war and events during the war have already happened. This story makes you really search your soul, asking as Hannah asks the judge -"What would you have done?". It will leave your psyche feeling conflicted about how members of the Nazi party were treated after the war. Many went on living normal lives, and living with their own guilt for years before they were prosecuted. You'll begin to wonder what you really would have done, if you had been in the same situation as Hanna. For me, I hope I would have acted differently, but facing the obstacles that Hanna did, I can't confidently say I would have.
I have noticed a recurring theme, in books that follow the WWII era past the ending of the war. There is generally no closure. Characters usually do not fully confront the issues they have been wrestling with for decades. They don't ask the questions or tell the bits of the stories that may have been excluded. In some situations these stories that are left untold could change everything. I think they are written this way as there is truly no other way to represent the hole, the gaping hole, that the Nazi party left in Germany. People felt that they couldn't say good things about people who done such bad things - but doing so would have given families peace, maybe even hope.
The Reader is not an easy book to read, you will think about it for days after you finish reading it. But, it should be read. It is important that we see and think about issues that matter from a perspective that is different from our own. It challenges our beliefs and helps us to look at the world differently.
7/10
I read this so I could watch the movie. But now that I've read it, I don't care to watch the movie. The storyline was good but the book moved too fast. I thought that I would like the fastness of the book, but it actually made me dislike it. Hanna made me severely uncomfortable and I do not like her.
I read this so I could watch the movie. But now that I've read it, I don't care to watch the movie. The storyline was good but the book moved too fast. I thought that I would like the fastness of the book, but it actually made me dislike it. Hanna made me severely uncomfortable and I do not like her.
A story of love, fear, loss and of memory both personal and collective.