The Reader by Bernhard Schlick was a quick read. I’d seen the film two years ago and while I remembered few details, it all came back to me when reading the novel. It is an interesting premise: a 15-year old boy falls in love with a woman in her mid-30s. When she disappears one day and reappears on trial years later during his time as a law student, he discovers a secret about her that would only save her if she were not too proud to admit it. The storyline only elevates from there. This is an interesting piece of writing not only because of the plot, but also because I’d never read a “Nazi fiction” book before. The novel even dabbles in philosophy, to a degree, having been written by a German jurist.

Availability: SMCM
Review Submitted by: Jordan Gaines
Rating: Highly Recommended