Rating: 
Summary: Life is too short to read books this bad
Review: I read this accidentally. If I had known it was an Oprah book, I would have stayed away from it, but as it were, the copy that my sister had was without the telltale sticker. I finished it in one day, so the only positive thing I can see is that it's a quick read. The plot is silly, the writing (perhaps the translation?) is poor, and the characters are entirely unsympathetic. The narrator is despicably self-aware, and every action and word in the book is over-analyzed to the point where the one conclusion I was able to draw myself is that I made a bad decision at the bookshelf. There are so many wonderful and beautiful books out there -- please don't waste your time on this.
Rating: 
Summary: The Book Was Great
Review: I am 15 and I thought that this book was great. Even though the book started out a little boring at first once Hanna was introduced the book got more interesting. The reason for is because Hanna and the other main character Michael got into a relationship and the book started to pick up speed. The two main characters have so much in common. Michael is attracted to Hanna yet he never reveals it to the reader. They both are single people living with a secret to tell at the end of the novel. If you like a surprise at the end of books this book is for you!
Rating:
Summary: Why recommend this book? It's not worthy!
Review: Why Oprah recommended this book is beyond me! This is not a book I liked reading. The main character is an over-sexed teen and later judgement is passed on the ex-Nazi woman he regularly bed down with. She reads in prison... so what! This doesn't make for an Oprah book...one that we should find exciting and well written....that's what I expect from the book club. You bombed here! I want a refund!
Rating: 
Summary: A great read!
Review: I was interested in this book from cover to cover and I thought the way that the characters evolved was extrememly interesting and well written. I would definitely recommend this book to others. THe ending is GREAT!
Rating: 
Summary: Somewhat disappointing
Review: I thought I would pick the book up to read because so many people are recommending it and the subject matter seemed interesting. Unfortunately, I found the book to be emotionally detached and hard to relate. The main character is hard for me to sympathize with. While the woman is a tragic figure, I wish I could read more about what is driving her silence.
Rating:
Summary: A Mysterious Relationship Unraveled
Review: As I was reading, The Reader, it kept me interested in Michael Berg's World. I did not want to put the book down until I knew the outcome of the relationship and that is what a book should do. It should make you forget about the world that you are in and make you feel like you are in the world of the character and that is exactly what Bernhard Schlink did. He used powerful language and imagery that made the book very interesting to read. As he described all the steps of the relationship it brings you into the book. Michael meets a woman who is twice his age when she is helping him when he is vomiting on the side of the road due to Hepatitis B. As he went back to her later to say "thank you" he never expected to be caught in such a mysterious relationship. As they talk little and have no real conversation you can feel the dryness of their relationship. As she leaves you can see the dramatic irony that is displayed. As he later meets her in a courtroom, after being a lawyer, you can feel the intensity between them. Bernhard Schlink has clearly written a book that can be shown as an example of what books should be.
Rating: 
Summary: The Reader
Review: The novel "The Reader" by Bernhard Schlink always seemed to have a mysterious, unanswered side to every page, drawing you deeper into the plot. The novel is a pure example that love is unpredictable, enduring and unforgettable, yet you may be faced with questions regarding where you should draw the line. It shows that at 15-years old, you may look at a situation in a much different way than you would in your later years of life. You might not always regret your actions, yet if you're lucky, you will have learned a life-long lesson from it and be forever changed because you will carry your experiences with you. After you the reader read the pages of this novel, you will also be changed in some way, for its morality, originality and unpredictable words are unforgettable.
Rating:
Summary: A good quick read
Review: An interesting read- I only wish that the author had delved deeper into the book's characters. We see them all through the eyes of Michael Berg, yet the author stops just shy of letting us fully understand them. This is particularly the case with Hanna. As much as I could comprehend the author's wish to keep her a mysterious object of Berg's affection, I felt that if I knew more about her- her drives and desires- I could relate more to their mutual attraction. Apart from the love story, this book is about guilt and forgiveness. We get a glimpse of what Berg feels, yet we're left hanging with regards to Hanna. How does she feel about the crime(s) that she has committed? This novel is a baby step shy of being great. Entertaining nonetheless.
Rating:
Summary: The philosophical dilemma of the post-nazi generation
Review: The Reader is an adolescent who has an affair with an older mysterious woman who suddenly disappears. Several years later, they meet again, in a courtroom where she is sentenced to life emprisonment for the crimes she commited as a guardian in a concentration camp. From there, his destiny will be the one of a whole generation of Germans who have to face the guilt and the shame of the horrors their parents commited.
Rating:
Summary: A Flop
Review: This has to be the worst recommendation for a book I have ever had
| 
