I read Bernhard Schlink’s ‘Homecoming’ last year and liked it very much. I have wanted to read other books by him since then, especially his more famous book ‘The Reader’. So when German Literature Month arrived this year I added ‘The Reader’ to my ‘Must read’ list. I finished reading it today. Here is what I think.
I am not going to bore you with the plot outline of the story, as you have probably seen the movie version of ‘The Reader’ (for which Kate Winslet won an Oscar). What I would like to say after reading the book is this. The movie stays more or less faithful to the book with some minor liberties to the screenplay. When I read the book and the parts about Hanna, Kate Winslet’s face kept coming to my mind. That is one of the problems of seeing the movie version before reading the book.
Which one is better – the movie or the book? I saw the movie a few years back when it came out and I can only talk about what I remember now about the impression the movie created on me at that time. With our memory being unreliable most times, I would take my own comparison with a pinch of salt. But if I stick my neck out and make the comparison, I would say that the movie and the book were good in different ways. The movie was good in terms of creating a visual picture of the story and saying things which cannot be said in words. The book is good with respect to the philosophical discussions which are explored through the narrator’s voice, which is difficult to do in a movie. The reasoning behind Hanna’s reluctance to reveal her secret is also better explained in the book. It also leaves many clues to the central mystery which I don’t remember the movie doing. The book also mentions many German books and writers – Intrigues and Love by Schiller, Schnitzler, Heller, Fontane, Heine Morike, Kafka, Frisch, Johnson, Bachmann, Lenz – one can make a ‘TBR’ list out of it 🙂 The things about Bernhard Schlink’s prose in ‘Homecoming’ that I liked very much were all there in ‘The Reader’ – the deceptively simple prose which hides the depth of the philosophical ideas and questions he addresses, the insightful observations on different things, the quotable quotes in every chapter. I thought that as I knew the story already, the book wouldn’t affect me that much. But inspite of that, the ending was still heartbreaking. Hanna is a beautiful, haunting heroine and I will never forget her. I wish things had turned out differently.
If you have seen the movie version of ‘The Reader’, I don’t know whether I should recommend the book to you. It is good in its own right, but all the surprises have been revealed if you have already watched the movie. But if you haven’t watched the movie, then I would recommend that you read the book first and then watch the movie.
I will leave you with some of my favourite passages from the book.
Then I began to betray her.
Not that I gave away any secrets or exposed Hanna. I didn’t reveal anything that I should have kept to myself. I kept something to myself that I should have revealed. I didn’t acknowledge her. I know that disavowal is an unusual form of betrayal. From the outside it is impossible to tell if you are disowning someone or simply exercising discretion, being considerate, avoiding embarrassments and sources of irritation. But you, who are doing the disowning, you know what you’re doing. And disavowal pulls the underpinnings away from a relationship just as surely as other more flamboyant types of betrayal.
‘I…I mean…so what would you have done?’ Hanna meant it as a serious question. She did not know what she should or could have done differently, and therefore wanted to hear from the judge, who seemed to know everything, what he would have done.
Everything was quiet for a moment. It is not the custom at German trials for defendants to question the judges. But now the question had been asked, and everyone was waiting for the judge’s answer. He had to answer; he could not ignore the question or brush it away with a reprimand or a dismissive counterquestion. It was clear to everyone, it was clear to him too, and I understood why he had adopted an expression of irritation as his defining feature. It was his mask. Behind it, he could take a little time to find an answer. But not too long; the longer he took, the greater the tension and expectation, and the better his answer had to be.
Now escape involves not just running away, but arriving somewhere. And the past I arrived in as a legal historian was no less alive than the present. It is also not true, as outsiders might assume, that one can merely observe the richness of life in the past, whereas one can participate in the present. Doing history means building bridges between the past and the present, observing both banks of the river, taking an active part on both sides.
Have you read ‘The Reader’ by Bernhard Schlink? What do you think about it?
Thanks for the review Vishy. I wasn’t sure I wanted to read this novel after seeing the movie. but I would like to delve more into the philosophical questions that the movie glosses over. That said, you’ve convinced me to add it to my TBR.
Hope you get to read the book and like it, TBM. The issues that the book explores with respect to justice and law and history are really fascinating. Will look forward to hearing your thoughts on it whenever you get to read it.
I enjoyed reading your review. I had seen the film based on your recommendation and found it to be beautiful, powerful and tragic. As you stated, it can be difficult to read a book after one has seen the film version. Still, I can’t help but think that Winslet and Fiennes did justice to the roles. Of course, that is probably because that is how I view the story now. After you read the book what did you think of Winslet and Fiennes in those roles?
Glad to know that, Heidi 🙂 Nice to know that you liked the film. If you do get to read the book sometime, I would love to hear your thoughts about it. I think Kate Winslet was perfect for the role of Hannah. Ralph Fiennes was nice in the role of Michael too. But the book explores issues of ethics, philosophy, law and justice through the narrator’s voice, which I don’t remember the movie doing in as much depth.
I’ve heard from a couple of reviews that the film was actually better than the book. If you had to stick your neck out… 😉
I too heard that, Tony. I liked both of them though, in different ways. The exploration of issues on ethics, law, philosophy and justice were probably better in the book.
I liked this as well and thought it was better than the movie. That’s why I’ve read something for this year’s German Literature Month (not revealing the title yet) and I am sad to say, I hated it. I should have followed your advice and read Homecoming. 😦
Glad to know that you liked this book, Caroline. Sorry to know that you didn’t like what you read just now. What is the name of that book? I can’t wait to hear it! I am thinking of reading Schlink’s crime trilogy sometime and I hope it is not that one. Hope you get to read ‘Homecoming’ and like it. There is a paragraph in ‘The Reader’ which foreshadows and anticipates ‘Homecoming’ when it talks about the Odyssey that I am thinking that I should read it once again.
Ok, here goes it’s The Weekend.
Thanks Caroline! I just read a couple of reviews of it and one of them was glowing while the other panned the book. Will look forward to hearing your thoughts on it and know more about why you didn’t like it much.
I have this on the shelf, but haven’t read it yet. I’m making more of an effort to read my own books over the next few months so I’ll maybe pick this on up. I’m glad to hear you liked it.
I hope you get to read this book and like it, Kristi. I will look forward to hearing your thoughts on it. Happy reading!
oh the book by a lot the film is good but just something missing can’t put finger on it that sense you get from the book isn’t quite there ,all the best stu
I agree with you, Stu. There were some things in the book which were not in the film and vice versa. I liked both of them in different ways.
This book is my all time favourite. I read the book and I was very moved and when I watched the film it makes everything I read came alive and I must say the movie did the book justice. I’m glad for the movie because then the scenes are more vivid than the ones I could remember from reading the book, if that makes sense. It is very haunting. I have always wanted to read another book by Schlink because I’m so smitten by this one but I have yet to try any of his other work.
Thanks for the review vishy.
I am sorry in the delay in replying to your comment, Jo. Glad to know that you liked ‘The Reader’ very much. I agree with you – the film definitely did justice to the book. You might like Schlink’s ‘Homecoming’ too. I read it last year and liked it very much. It is loosely based on the Odyssey, and it is also about the secrets of the past. If you do get to read it, I will look forward to hearing your thoughts on it.
Vishy,
I’m wondering which Schlink I should read next. Homecoming it is then. Thanks!
[…] The Reader by Bernhard Schlink (Vishy’s Blog) […]
Read this nearly two years ago but haven’t seen the movie. I found the book thought provoking and liked the spare style.
http://theknockingshop.blogspot.ie/2011/01/reader.html
Thanks for stopping by, Seamus. Sorry for the delay in replying to your comment. Glad to know that you too liked ‘The Reader’. Hope you get to watch the movie and like it. It is really wonderful.
I really enjoyed reading your review, you have made a lovely comparison between the book and the film adaptation. I read this book several years ago, before the film, and I loved the book. I did think the film was very well done though, and have watched it several times. Great to hear your thoughts on this one.
Sorry for the delay in replying to your comment, Lindsay. Glad to know that you liked the book and the movie. I liked both of them and I think the book was quite faithful to the movie. So jealous of you that you discovered the book, before it became the movie 🙂
I haven’t seen the movie, so I think I’l try this one. Thanks Vishy, nice review!
Hope you get to read this book and like it, Andrew. Will look forward to hearing your thoughts on it whenever you get to read it.
[…] potential competitors for the top spot might be Herta Müller’s ‘The Land of Green Plums’ and Bernhard Schlink’s ‘The Reader’. It is also one of my favourite reads of the year. I want to read all of Stamm’s books now. It is […]
[…] loved Bernhard Schlink’s ‘Homecoming’ and ‘The Reader’ and I thought at some point that I would like to read every one of Schlink’s works which has been […]
[…] (1) The Collini Case (1 2 3) Schlink: Summer Lies (1 2 3) The Gordian Knot (1), The Reader (1 2), The Weekend (1 2) Schnitzler: Dream Story (1 2) Dying (1), Fraulein Else (1), Leutnant Gustl […]
[…] The Reader by Bernhard Schlink […]