The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
"The Reader" is a poignant narrative centered around a young German boy's complex relationship with an older woman, who later turns out to be a former Auschwitz guard. Their relationship begins with her teaching him to read, but takes a drastic turn when she disappears, only to reemerge on trial for war crimes. The novel explores themes of guilt, shame, and redemption, as the boy, now a law student, grapples with his feelings for a woman he once loved, but whose past actions he cannot reconcile with.
The 746th greatest book of all time
- Published
- 1995
- Nationality
- German
- Type
- Fiction
- Pages
- 200-300
- Words
- 62,000
- Original Language
- German
If you're interested in seeing the ranking details on this book go here
This book is on the following lists:
- 14th on Big Read (German) (Germany)
- 247th on The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users (Culture Café)
- 325th on The Complete 500: OCLC (OCLC)
- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (The Book)
- The Bigger Read List (English PEN)
- Best Foreign Work of Fiction Chosen by Francophone Writers (French literary magazine Transfuge)
- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read (The Guardian)