The Reader
by Bernhard Schlink

For a book with a narrator that was seemingly indifferent to his life’s accounts, it evoked a lot of emotion from its reader, on many levels.  The story, told so matter-of-factly, made you question your own morals, ethics, and the conundrums of responsibility.  At one point, you feel as if you’ve made a conclusion of appropriate behavior, and then you’re asked to reexamine things more subjectively, instead of making a firm judgment of the characters.  The book took you through historical scenes, without evoking color, just question and review. 

By the first part of the book, I already inferred what the problem was, and by the end of the book, although with that knowledge, you’re still struck with emotion and empathy.  So that was the unexpected.  Some parts of the third part of the book were actually beautiful.

Overall, it was a great book, filled with important universal themes of responsibility and being your “brother’s keeper.”  It was straight to the point, like a trial, but with lingering thoughts after the verdict.

To see what this book is about, click HERE.