Bernhard Schlink: The Reader - review

Author: Bernhard Schlink
Publish Date: 1995
Genre: Realism
Audience: Adult fiction

I actually finished this book around a month ago but I have only now gotten round to writing about it! I decided to read 'The Reader' as it was part of my wider reading list for English Literature, and the theme of forbidden love is one that I typically enjoy.

However, this novel offered me so much more than I could have ever wanted. The story is set in war time Germany and features heavy content surrounding the Holocaust. Nazi Germany is a period of history which I find absolutely fascinating, and so this made the book a lot more engaging for me.

Another aspect I really enjoyed about 'The Reader', is its structure. The novel is set out in three parts, and each part is extremely distinct - part one follows Michael's affair with an older woman named Hanna; part two follows a trial which convicts Nazi officers of their doings in the Holocaust; part three portrays Michael as an older man and his connections with his past lover Hanna. This structure made the book unique for me, but also added interest. In addition, each chapter is relatively short so the story is fast paced but still easy to follow.

The characters of Michael and Hanna are extremely real, helped by the superb writing of Bernhard Schlink. I felt empathy for both as the novel takes an unexpected turn, and moments in the third part are extremely touching for multiple reasons. The author also takes - to an extent - an intrusive role at times, which questions the morals of both forbidden love and the Holocaust, giving the reader a much more immersive and engaging role instead of the usual back-seat observer.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Reader' for a multitude of reasons; the writing, the character development, and the plot were all truly superb. It provided an exceptionally captivating experience as I was forced to evaluate the rights and wrongs of a devastating incident, whilst following an intriguing love story between two very different people.

Next read: 'Legally Blonde' by Amanda Brown

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Charity Shop/Car Boot Sale - book haul

This is something new that I'm trying on my blog! Recently I have accumulated a few books from charity shops and car boot sales, and if there's one thing I love it's hauls so I thought I would try it out for myself ☺ I hope you enjoy it!

Legally Blonde

Amanda Brown

Ever since I first saw Legally Blonde: The Musical a few years ago, I have been thoroughly hooked with this story. Elle Woods is such a strong female character who rightly proves that blonde does not just equal beautiful. I cannot believe I haven't read this novel before so I am so excited to delve in and compare it to its adaptations!

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Stephen Chbosky

This is another popular story which I can't believe I haven't read yet! I recently watched the film for the first time and absolutely loved the raw truth it portrayed about life in comparison to other YA novels. After hearing my friend Bex constantly praise this book, I thought it was about time I finally took the plunge.

Charlotte Street

Danny Wallace

'Charlotte Street' is a novel I had never heard of before I stumbled across it at a car boot sale. However, I have already read a book (co)written by Danny Wallace (you can check out my review here) in which I absolutely loved his writing style. Therefore I thought it was only fitting that I tried one of his YA novels, and it was highly praised by the seller for its comedic value!

The Reader

Bernhard Schlink

My mother picked this novel up for me in a charity shop as it was part of my wider reading for English Literature. The plot sounded so interesting as it combined issues of forbidden love with the Holocaust. I finished this novel a couple of weeks ago and a full review of it will be up in the near future, but let's just say for now that I absolutely adored it!

To Kill A Mockingbird

Harper Lee

'To Kill A Mockingbird' is one of those novels which you are told time and time again you HAVE to read before you die; it's an ultimate classic. After the release of 'Go Set A Watchman', I told myself that I would 100% read this in the near future - and it still hasn't happened! I will be delaying it further as I need to sink my teeth into some YA, but it is definitely on the to-read list.

The Nation's Favourite Poems of Desire

Various Authors

I picked this anthology up in a charity shop as I deemed it would be perfect for my English Literature course. Some of the poems we have studied are included in here as our theme is Love Through The Ages, so it only seemed fitting I read some similar for my wider reading and get a better understanding of the time periods' issues.

Tricks of the Mind

Derren Brown

Last year I attempted to read Derren Brown's 'Confessions of a Conjurer', and it wasn't that I didn't enjoy it, but I was in a serious reading block and it wasn't the kind of material I needed. However, now I am back into my reading habits I am very keen about delving into Derren's books, mainly because I am completely obsessed with his work! Therefore I picked up 'Tricks of the Mind' in order to get a better insight into the wonderful, befuddling ways of Derren Brown.

And that's about it for this haul! I really hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it; it was so lovely to write a chilled, casual post in contrast to my usual reviews. Please let me know if you'd like to see more of these in the comments below!

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