The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
My review
rating: 2 of 5 stars
I didn’t like the first 3rd of the book at all (if it stood alone, I would give it one star). I was not at all engaged in the characters or the story. Every time I put down the book I just thought, “So what?”
But as the book progressed, I understand why the narrator had to lay out in such painstaking detail his relationship and feelings towards Hanna. The latter half the book was more interesting. I did become invested in the narrator and his complicated love for Hanna.
However, I felt cheated with the action of the last third of the book. All the late developments came so quickly and almost as an after thought. And weren’t they the whole reason the narrator was sharing this story in the first place?
I did enjoy the writing style. Many of the narrator’s observations on life and love resonated with me. But the book overall just didn’t do it for me.
View all my reviews.
