Højtlæseren - Bernhard Schlink

Title: Højtlæseren (The Reader)
Author: Bernhard Schlink
Genre: World War 2
Rating: 8/10
# pages: 164
Date read: March, 2009

Summary: When he falls ill on his way home from school, fifteen-year-old Michael Berg is rescued by Hanna, a woman twice his age. In time she becomes his lover...then she inexplicably disappears. When Michael next sees her, he is a young law student, and she is on trial for a hideous crime. As he watches her refuse to defend her innocence, Michael gradually realizes that Hanna may be guarding a secret she considers more shameful than murder.

Review: Recommended to me by irinaauthor
What I most liked about this book was the writing style, which actually came as a huge surprise to me, because usually I'd find that way of narrating (telling everything from a distance, very little dialogue, hardly any characterisation at all) boring, but it worked very well to maintain the almost unreal atmosphere of the book, and had me wonder on several occasions if this might actually be a memoir, rather than a work of fiction.

I can't decide whether or not I agree with Michael's actions and reasoning. I probably would have acted differently, but that may just as well be me who's wrong and he who's right as the other way around. For the same reason I can't really figure out whether or not I liked the book. I was fascinated by it, and completely mesmerised by the narrative, and yet I felt like I was watching the events from afar, and never felt drawn to the characters.

I have a hard time picturing how this novella could suitably be turned into a movie, but if it's done well, I don't wonder at all that it was nominated for an Oscar.

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