«… There's no need to talk, because the truth of what one says lies in what one does.» (Part Three, Ch. 2) ~ «… What a sad story, I thought for so long. Not that I now think it was happy. But I think it is true, and thus the question of whether it is sad or happy has no meaning whatever.» (Part Three, Chapter 12) ~ [All of the English quotations were taken from Carol Brown Janeway translation, from Vintage Books, PDF of which I found online] ~ #Finished: #TheReader by #BernhardSchlink. • Rating: 9/10 • In this novel, the narrator #MichaelBerg recounts her memories about #HannaSchmitz, whom he, as a teenager, had a relationship with, not knowing about her life much, and read aloud literary works to, at her request. Further on, Michael tells how he, as a law student, surprisingly encountered her in a court where her dark and personal secrets have been revealed. Both Michael and Hanna have troubles facing the past and guilty conscience, for different, personal reasons... Offering eroticism, philosophy, great psychological insights, nice allusions to other literary works, and a sad and surprising ending, The Reader is a clear, straightforward, but powerful narrative about World War II's and Holocaust's effects on German people, especially on the post-war generation, whose guilt, inner turmoil and clash with the previous, "Nazi-era" generation are delicately reflected in the #novel; and can be read Schlink's personal apology to Jews. I felt really sorry for Hanna, but I think not every reader could do that. ~ «The tectonic layers of our lives rest so tightly one on top of the other that we always come up against earlier events in later ones, not as matter that has been fully formed and pushed aside, but absolutely present and alive. I understand this. Nevertheless, I sometimes find it hard to bear. Maybe I did write our story to be free of it, even if I never can be.» (Part Three, Ch. 12) ~ «… escape involves not just running away, but arriving somewhere…» (Part Three, Ch. 4) ~ #Schlink #Reader #FrauSchmitz #Sophie #Gertrud #DerVorleser #Vorleser #book #books #bookstagram #literature #bibliophile #booklove #justfinished #reading #read #bookworm #instabook #classics https://www.instagram.com/p/CPmpfs-rRD7/?utm_medium=tumblr
