The Reader

Rating:
Summary: A sensitive and unusual treatment of the Holocaust
Review: An unusually poignant rendering of a country coming to terms with its past through the machinations of an intense sexual relationship. I felt that this novel sensitively approached the idea of 'masking' the responsibilities and inherent guilt, which are nowadays associated with those who played a part in The Holocaust. Post 'Schindlers List', it has become perhaps acceptable to view this terrible passage in history with a quiet ,reflective dignity. And yet, this novel manages the remarkable feat of personalising a sense of incomprehension and genuine grief through, of all things, a bizarre adolescent 'rite of passage' and, in so doing, conveys a powerful sense of helplessness and misery. This book is a valuable and necessary addition to the canon of modern Holocaust-related 'fiction', and, as such, demands to be read.

Rating:
Summary: Wasted Story Line
Review: What potential this book could have had! Here is a young man walks into a courtroom and finds his lover of years past accused of crimes during WWII. One would think this book would be gripping. But it is not. The characters were shallow and simplistic. The writing was dry. Ultimately, in spite of the promising story, The Reader is disappointing.

Rating:
Summary: Don't waste time and mone on this one.
Review: When Oprah anounced this book as a book club choice, I bought it the very next day. A few hours later I was holding the closed book in my hand trying to decide what I had just read. I was blown away. The book did not touch me as much as it revolted me. I wanted to know why? I felt that nothing was ever resolved. It was an absolute pointless read. I have gained more insight reading a trashy Daniell Steele novel. You can bet I will be more causious next time I choose a book off of the book club list.

Rating:
Summary: A very different look at the era of 1945.
Review: This was the most unusual book. Such a different viewpoint for the era in time. It was disturbing but also riveting. It gave great insight into how the main character felt about her secret. A fast read also. It moved and didn't drag on with needless descriptive passages.

Rating:
Summary: 'Excellent - I read it in one sitting!'
Review: One of the best books I've read in a long time! The story keeps moving and keeps you anticipating the characters actions and reactions. The story from past to present keeps you wanting more and more. If the book was twice as long, I would have stayed interested and wanted more. A novel that takes on the aura of a true and riveting life story. A believable real life drama! You won't be sorry with this one!

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I heard a lot of hype about this book but found it to be very insubstantial. It was hard to follow and even though you get lots of details you never really get to know the main characters.

Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your time.
Review: After hearing raves about this book, I read it in an afternoon. I just didn't get it. The relationship between Michael and Hannah didn't ring true; therefore, his lifelong obsession with her made no sense to me. Michael should have used Hannah's money to put himself in psychological counseling.

Rating:
Summary: Sex, crime and punishment in postwar Germany
Review: This sparse, tersely written book seems to be a veiled autobiography. The writer, like the narrator became a lawyer and consequently a judge. American readers might have problems with the sex between the teenage boy and the "odler" woman, however, in Europe this is accepted, even condoned. It is written very believable. Most young boys go on to happy, uneventful lives. The protagonist gets stuck on this one very satisfying sexual encounter and all women later are measured against it - and naturally fail. To his horror he meets Hanna in the courtroom, where she is being tried, along with other women for unspeakable crimes committed against Jewish concentration camp inmates. Her behaviour puzzles him and he - rightly - concldues that she is illiterate, which might not excuse, simply explain some of her behaviour. He decides against revealing this to the presiding judge, which could mitigate her sentence - on the advice of his cold, remote(again, very typically European) father, Hanna is given a long sentence. He makes one concession to their shared past: sends her tapes of books that he reads to her aloud. As Hanna laboriously learns to read, a new world opens up to her. Her innocence is ended, she finally faces her crime and is her own most severe judge. Is this a metaphor for Germany? Or simply a story that gives one lots of thought? Innocence, ignorance is no defense. There were not many illiterates in pre-war Germany one of the most highly civilized European nations. This is a haunting, readable book.

Rating:
Summary: Overall not good enough
Review: The Reader makes a good start by arousing the reader's interest to read on. However, it doesn't satisfy my appetite for a good work which must include a strong recognition and climax. The protagonist's recognition of Hanna's secret as being an illiterate does not product a great impact on the reader as well as on the book itself. Besides, the work seems to leave many questions unsolved. Maybe the worst part is that we as the readers fall into the protagonist's subjective world without ever coming up to see what's really goimg on. If there's an access to Hanna's world, that will be better. The world of literature is never the same as the real life. To some extent, reading the book makes me feel like seeing someone's true life story instead of a well-written, solid novel. Overall the Reader is not good enough to the reader.

Rating:
Summary: shocking
Review: This book shows you that you really never know someone the way you think you do.