The Reader

Rating:
Summary: Flat and depressing--Oprah what were you thinkin?!!
Review: Although I found the premise intriguing, the main character and narrator had the appeal of a wet sweater on a hot day. He lived his life without conviction or passion and whined about it. The woman might have had more life, but through his eyes was flat and unsympathetic. All in all the book was depressing without containing any redeeming insights into human nature. Somebody should give Oprah some upbeat, multidimensional books to read for a change. Or if she insists on depressing books, how about "Grapes of Wrath"?

Rating:
Summary: Superb entertainment -- tears streamed!
Review: Each page there was a turn, and in directions I wasn't expecting to explore. So many surprises, and it just got more interesting as I turned the pages. The sex could have been spiced up a bit and I did catch myself trying to catch up as he jumped around alot. HOWEVER, this book is not to be missed.

Rating:
Summary: Not as good as I thought.
Review: The book to me was very boring. It did not keep my attention and I forced myself to finish it.

Rating:
Summary: Faded quickly
Review: I thought this would be a captivating novel, good enough to rival the summer's best--"The Triumph and the Glory" and "Memoirs of a Geisha". But "The Reader" lacked emotion, lacked pacing, lacked a discernable theme, and, although it has some brilliant moments, was very average considering all of the fuss that has been made over it.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome book
Review: Even though I'm only a teenager, I found this book a dramatic, absolutely wonderful tale of a young man struggling with the woman he loves. I would recommend it to anyone. Before you read it though, be sure to have a full box of tissues nearby!

Rating:
Summary: Sparse, agonizing, and beautiful.
Review: This is a beautifully written story of overwhelming moral and ethical conflict. The prose is spare, yet lush in the manner of Japanese silk painting. Each word is marvelous paint stroke laid on the fabric of our souls.

Rating:
Summary: LIKE WATCHING PAINT DRY
Review: What a boring disappointment. I could not even finish this book because I kept falling asleep. The author couldn't have made the love scenes any less romantic. What was with the baths? Weird, Weird, Weird. The Father didn't want him going back to school so soon after being ill, yet where was he when the kid disappeared for hours and days? Who even cared that she couldn't read. I figured that out right away. Don't waste your time.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointed, mediocre.
Review: While I enjoyed the beginning, I was disappointed with the end. I felt no sympathy or emotional connections with the main characters, but mainly borderline disgust. The plot is well written and it is an interesting if disturbing story that keeps the read mediocre.

Rating:
Summary: The Ultimate Apologist Manifesto
Review: I don't think this book is nearly as morally provocative as thereviewers have said, or as the author would like us to think it is. Ithas become abundantly clear to me that many modern Germans think that paying lip service to questions about morality is sufficient to gain their society a dose of forgiveness, and even entitles them to forgive themselves. In my mind this book utterly validates my main criticism of post-war German society. In fact, it strikes me as the perfect apologist manifesto for post-war Germany's view of the Holocaust. "What would you have done" is Hanna's question to the judge---and the author then softens his treatment of her, as if her mere asking of the question is tantamount to an excuse. And poor Michael's agony of indecision over whether he should tell the judge of Hanna's secret? Oh, gee, I guess that means he's really a compassionate guy underneath his vapid exterior. And I suppose the fact that he doesn't tell the judge after all, so Hanna ultimately serves her time in jail, is meant to suggest that modern Germany is now willing to do the right thing? Sorry, but it's too late. Schlink conveniently ignores the fact that the Holocaust was planned genocide--and every German must share the responsibility for that, forever. Admitting the truth just isn't enough, in the end. If you're a modern Jew who wants to get really p***ed off, read this book.

Rating:
Summary: not a novel, novelette, barely a short story
Review: The entire story could have been told far better in 10 pages.Maybe less. But to get their 20 bucks, the author, editor and publisher pack in another 180 pages are pure fluff. As for the "secret", I'm sure everyone thought it had to be a little more a good deal more significant and surprising than it turned out. As the reviewer says above, the woman would rather do hard time than admit she can't read? I can see the sequel even now: woman kills self and rest of world because she's not online.