The Reader

Rating:
Summary: A well told tale -a boy's true fantasy to harsh reality.
Review: As I read the first chapters of the book, I wondered why I continued reading, almost embarrassed by its contents. By the second half of the book you realize that you are drawn in by curiosity of a young boys sexual dream come true. It is then that the characters, seen years later, take on a new personna, and you become witness to an emotional, disturbing, story of post war Germany, and its effects on those involved. The easy reading 'part one' becomes intensely thought provoking in 'part two.' Great book.

Rating:
Summary: Childhood abuse/Morality
Review: Read this wonderfull book in one sitting. But I found it easier to place fault in Hannah. (Although it is skillfull writting to see how being in love makes it hard to condemn someone of a crime they committed.) She does not seem as innocent as some here have stated...and none have commented on how she "ruins" Michael for any future healthy relationships. If she had met him in the camps..she would have sent him away to die. Would I have done the same if I were her, in the same place...ie: allow the women to die in the camp? I hope not but who knows? But if I did...I am guilty and so is she.

Rating:
Summary: The nexus between literacy and humanity.
Review: While our book club was divided in the evaluation of The Reader, it generated important discussions focussed on the nature of guilt and redemption, the ammorality of Hanna, the interesting structure of the novel and the connection between literacy and the opportunity to reflect on personal and social actions. The various responses seemed to be determined by whether or not we were able to make personal or intellectual connections with the text, or whether we were satisfied that a text could open doors to new experiences. The most rewarding discussions arose from the author's portrayal of Hanna's illiteracy, there seemed to be a nexus between literacy and the capacity to reflect on human experience. Essentially The Reader is a reflection on the nature of post war German experience in the light of the Holocaust. The main character Michael comments at the end of the book, "At first I wanted to write our story to be free of it." But in the end he concludes, "I've made peace with it." This is the power of reading and the power of book clubs to explore the ideas we can overlook in our reading.

Rating:
Summary: The Moral Dilemma of Good and Evil
Review: This book is a powerful portrayal of good and evil and the moral dilemmas facing post World War II Germany. It also forced us to examine our own personal moral values and concepts of evil. However,in my opinion, it would have been more meaningful if Michael had focused his concern and assistance on a survivor of the Holocaust rather on one of the perpetrators. Hannah voluntarily chose to join the SS and commit heinous crimes.The fact that she was more ashamed of her illiteracy than of her criminal activity only emphasized her pathology.Millions of innocent people died at the hands of individuals like Hannah. I sincerely hope that the author did not intend to white-wash that fact.

Rating:
Summary: In a category of its own
Review: The Reader, as a holocaust novel, is like no other work on the subject. It is the only holocaust novel to successfully sidestep the mincing, pathetically clinical analysis of the ivory-tower dwelling academic, and challenge each and every reader to engage themselves - and realise that it is not "The Nazis" who are culpable, but the darkest reaches of our shared, flawed, humanity. Absolutely astounding, savagely indicting. Everybody should read it to understand who they are, and what they should avoid becoming.

Rating:
Summary: Wow! A book to read more than once...
Review: To be honest, I checked out this book from the local library because the initial premise of a 15 year old male seduced by the 30-something old woman was so trashy and unappealling. The book goes way beyond that. It was necessary than the two central characters would actually represent different generations. There is so much here. How can people in a group setting get pulled along to do something they wouldn't ordinarily? At her trial,she was rigorous about truth. So much more. A book worth studying. I "repent", and I look forward to purchasing this book for my permanent library

Rating:
Summary: A criticism of an underlying theme
Review: I found "The Reader" to be a powerful,fascinating and disturbing book. The moral issues were very well presented. However, it seemed to me that there was a hint of an apology, an overly sympa- thetic attempt to explain away criminal behavior. the proposed notion that Hanna chose not to fight for her so-called "innocence" did not sit well with me. WHAT INNOCENCE! Hanna chose to join the SS. Hanna chose to allow the church full of women prisoners to burn to death. Illiteracy does not create criminal pathology. In our efforts to understand the criminal mind, we must not forget the eleven million people who perished nor in any way trivialize the enormity of the Holocaust.

Rating:
Summary: Schlink has produced an extraordinary tale in The Reader.
Review: As I come to the end of this novel, which was easily devoured over a few short days, I am overwhelmed by the saddness I feel over the loss of innocence, the loss of love, the loss of faith, and the distance and numbness one can feel when looking back at a history that they did not create, but will have to bear the burden of for all their days. I cried for Michael, I cried for Hannah, I cried for Germany.

Rating:
Summary: Hard to like, easy to put down.
Review: While I understood all the issues in this book, the guilt shame ect.. I really didn't enjoy it at all, The characters were not developed enough, Michael was weak, even pathetic and Hanna was not a likeable person. I would have liked it if I could get into the characters more, it was hard to enjoy when I had such feelings of indifference towards them.

Rating:
Summary: An intense and disturbing novel
Review: This is a novel that should be required reading for anybody who wants to learn about the German side of the Holocoust. Although the narrative didn't quite flow at times, Mr. Schlink's moral considerations are worth everything in the novel. The end of the novel is perhaps the saddest I've read in quite a long time, but it teaches a valuable lesson and brings some hope. It would be interesting to see a movie based on this novel.