Reviews with content warning for Genocide - Høytleseren

Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

Høytleseren by Bernhard Schlink

60 reviews

preciouslittleingenue's review against another edition

2.0

dark reflective tense fast-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

I realized halfway through this book that I’d seen scathing reviews for the movie, and I remembered exactly why I didn’t watch the movie. The centralization of the plight of a literal Nazi SS officer over the Holocaust survivors is just awful. Poor woman became SS because she’s illiterate. Then sent Jews to be murdered for five years. I hate it. I do not feel bad for this woman. She also groomed a FIFTEEN YEAR OLD. Literally what is good about this book. I was sick to my stomach during the entire “love affair” section and just pissed beyond belief during the trial section, and then I didn’t give a damn when she killed herself. Because she’s a Nazi. And then AGAIN the narrator speaks to the actual holocaust survivor and she is cast as such a background character. It’s sickening. I hated this book sorry.

Content Warnings

poirot's review against another edition

2.0

emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

hunkydory's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Content Warnings

clarisseep's review against another edition

5.0

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

Content Warnings

ninjasunknown's review against another edition

3.0

dark emotional slow-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

Content Warnings

thereaderfriend's review against another edition

2.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

tina94's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark mysterious sad 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: Yes

Content Warnings

ashley_elizabeth's review against another edition

3.25

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I actually saw the film years ago and hadn't really been that motivated to read the book until my book club set a topic of "literary fiction", and here we are! I actually enjoyed the book about the same as the film (from what I remember of it). It reminded me, in some ways, of Ian McEwan's "Atonement" in that it ends with a bit of a "twist" or little surprise to the story that gives it a different taste that it would have otherwise. I also have never really read anything set in Germany just after WWII and found the secondary storyline of young people coming to grips with how their parents/community/country behaved during the Third Reich particularly interesting.

Content Warnings

katiemertz's review against another edition

2.5

dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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: Yes

Content Warnings

angelicathebookworm's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The narrative is well structured and well written. The characters are thoroughly developed throughout and morally ambiguous, particularly in the case of Hanna. It was difficult for me to choose how I felt about her and I enjoyed that experience. There are some revelations that are not only surprising but also adds to the emotional nature of the novel. The ending is tragic, unresolved but completely necessary and emphasizes the power Schlink’s narrative holds. Reading about the physical relationship between Hanna and Michael put me off at times, but that’s just personal preference rather than criticism and I understand the purpose it has in the narrative.

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