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.
Finishing this good book. I think this is the first time I read a novel that I've already watched the film adaptation. Both are good. There is a beautiful sadness in this story that moves me.
"she was slow-flowing, graceful, seductive-- a seductiveness that had nothing to do with breasts and hips and legs, but was an invitation to forget the world in the recesses of the body."
i Loved this book. I too picked it up randomly a number of years ago and was just raving about it and shocked that my best friend, who is quite a reader, had not read it. Then I started asking a... more
i Loved this book. I too picked it up randomly a number of years ago and was just raving about it and shocked that my best friend, who is quite a reader, had not read it. Then I started asking a bunch of friends and none of them had read it -- I was going insane - finally I was on a mini reunion with some classmates and one of them mentioned it! I nearly tripped over myself getting to the 'voice' of the person who said 'oh, I just finished 'the reader' Thank heavens'. I thought maybe I had made up the book. Let me know how you like it. Did you know that Kate Winslet was in the movie version? I did NOT see the movie. Enjoy. Sorry this is so late -- maybe you have finished reading it already ( : patti