bookedinsaigon 's review for:

The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

2.0

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I know that THE READER is an international bestseller and prestigious literary review magazines and newspapers call it “erotic,” “mesmerizing,” “fascinating,” and all of those impressive adjectives, but I really did not see the appeal of this book. Schlink’s narration reads like Michael attempting to psychoanalyze himself and philosophize on his actions. The narrative distance made it difficult for me to connect to and empathize with Michael. Very little occurs in the book, and what happens, actually happened before the time in which Michael narrates his story, due to the distant narration thing. I read this book for a class, and overall, I was extremely unsatisfied. It would definitely have been a book I would’ve stopped reading had I not read it for a class.