The topic of the Holocaust is raised almost every day in some manner. Many books have been written about the topic. Whether in studies, documentaries or fictional accounts, finger-pointing at the perpetrators of the crimes against millions has been part of the process of coming to terms with the Nazi atrocities. For Imre Kertesz, renowned author and Nobel laureate of 2002, there is no other topic. Yet, when he reflects on the traumatic impact of Auschwitz, "he dwells on the vitality and creativity of those living today" and "thus, paradoxically, not on the past but the future." Bernhard Schlink, professor of law and practicing judge in Germany, born in 1944, has attempted to capture the struggles of his generation in confronting the past and the future in "The Reader". "Pointing at the guilty party did not free us from shame", his narrator and protagonist contemplates, "but at least it overcame the suffering we went through on account of it".

The usually unambiguous distinction between villain and victim has facilitated the identification with those who lost their lives or suffered under the Nazi atrocities while all scorn, abhorrence and hate was piled on the perpetrators. Until recently, few books have focused on the after-war generation. While growing up, the children had to come to terms with the, often sudden, exposure of their parents' active or passive participation in the crimes of the Nazi regime. "The Reader", set in post-war Germany and against the backdrop of the Frankfurt Auschwitz trials of the mid-sixties, takes this new and, for our generations, important angle: in the form of the fictional memoir of Michael Berg. Michael, while not refuting guilt, shame, and atonement, is led to examine and dissect the complexity of inter-generational conflicts in the context of his personal experiences. Like Schlink himself, he grapples with the fundamental problem of the relationships between these two generations.

Michael recounts the most important stages in his life, starting with experiences long passed in his youth. While his account follows the chronology of events, he progressively interleaves retrospective reflections on his past conduct, questioning his conflicting emotions - his behaviour. The story starts with Michael's first, secret, love affair at age 15 with a woman more than twice his age. The blossoming erotic relationship strengthens his self-worth and confidence yet, at the same time, increasingly isolating him from his family and peers. Hanna Schmitz, of whose circumstances and background Michael knew very little, was affectionate and standoffish at the same time, prone to abrupt mood swings. The young lover is completely captivated and eager to please. He is the "Reader", in German "Vorleser" is a person who reads aloud to an audience. At her insistence he reads his books to her and it becomes an important element of their shared intimacy. When she disappears one day without any warning, her loss leaves him devastated and scarred for life. He can only seek the reasons in his own actions. Seeing Hanna again years later and in unanticipated surroundings, triggers a flood of questions about the person he loved and thought he knew. Her behaviour raises many questions and Michael discovers a long secret that puts in doubt the facts as they are exposed. He also wrestles with himself over his own inaction when confronted with choices. "What would you have done?" Although addressed to the judge by the defendant, this question hangs over Michael, as it does over his whole generation. It encapsulates the primary dilemma of the child-parent generations relationships. Finally, writing the story of his life, drafting and redrafting it in his head until it is in a publishable form, is seen as a chance for his own recovery and for living his own life.

The Reader, while a work of fiction, is deeply anchored in the personal experiences of the author and symbolic for his generation. His spare and unemotional language underlines the impression of a biographical investigation and is used quite deliberately. The English translation captures the tone and style amazingly well. Reading this book should not be an "easy pleasure" as some reviewers have suggested. The Reader covers difficult and complex terrain in a way that it forces the reader to reflect and question their own position long afterwards. Although written directly for a German audience of Schlink's and my generation, the novel, surprisingly, has attracted world-wide attention. While reviews and reactions among readers are highly diverse and even contradictory, it should be read by as many people as possible and with the care the subject matter deserves.

n  "Pero el que huye no sólo se marcha de un lugar, sino que llega a otro. Y el pasado al que llegué a través de mis estudios era tan vívido como el presente.".n

4,5⭐️. Una lectura que no deja indiferente.

Dice la sinopsis:
Un adolescente conoce a una mujer madura con la que inicia una relación amorosa. Antes de acostarse juntos, ella siempre le pide que le lea fragmentos de Goethe, Schiller& hasta que un día ella desaparece. Siete años después, el joven, que estudia derecho, acude al juicio de cinco mujeres acusadas de crímenes nazis y descubre que una de ellas es su antigua amante. Una deslumbrante novela sobre el amor, la culpa, el horror y la piedad.

Qué destaco del libro.

La prosa del autor, fluida, rica en matices, delicada, reflexiva y madura. Engancha y se lee con facilidad. Destaca su manera de conectar con el lector a la hora de transmitir reflexiones, emociones y sentimientos. Una doble conexión, la intelectual y la emocional que me ha dejado impresionada.

La trama se articula en tres partes que corresponden a tres momentos en la vida del protagonista, adolescencia, primera juventud y madurez. La acción transcurre en la Alemania de finales de los 50 y década de los 60. Será el propio Michael quien nos narre en primera persona la historia. Vamos a conocer al adolescente enamorado de Hanna, una mujer que le dobla la edad, al joven universitario horrorizado e impotente ante los crímenes de la generación anterior y al hombre maduro que, a sabiendas de que existen realidades para las que no cabe el olvido, sí es capaz de mostrar cierta compasión por Hanna. Es una novela corta, pero compleja, que aborda cuestiones como la culpa, la responsabilidad, la connivencia, la búsqueda de la verdad, la redención y el perdón para los demás y para sí mismos.

Los personajes tan bien trazados en una obra de poco más de 200 páginas. Destaca la importancia que tiene el pasado en el presente de cada personaje. Un pasado que determina no solo las acciones de Michael y Hanna, sino la de los pocos secundarios que aparecen en la novela. Algunos, como Michael, viven marcados por las atrocidades de un pasado reciente del que no son culpables. Otros, los que sí lo son, conviven con las consecuencias de sus actos, unos actos de los que muchos no se sienten responsables e intentan justificar o blanquear.

“Los estratos de nuestra vida reposan tan juntos los unos sobre los otros que en lo actual siempre advertimos la presencia de lo antiguo, y no como algo desechado y acabado, sino presente y vívido”.

Las reflexiones sobre temas varios, como las consecuencias de la guerra y el Holocausto, la dicotomía entre decisión y acción, el eterno dilema de si es lícito revelar "por su bien" los secretos de otro y el poder de la literatura. Podría poner frases y más frases sobre cada uno de estos temas, pero creo preferible que cada lector se encuentre con las suyas, así que me contentaré con una.

“Pero la acción no se limita a llevar a cabo lo que he pensado y decidido previamente. Surge de una fuente propia, y es tan independiente como lo es mi pensamiento y lo son mis decisiones”.

En conclusión. Una novela compleja con una trama atractiva y que mueve a la reflexión. Imperdible.

The biggest problem I had with this book was the fact that it made me feel...nothing.
I didn't feel connected to the characters or to any part of the plot. This is quite a bummer, as it deals with a pretty heavy topic.
I feel like the author intended to write the story this way though, because the writing style in general has a certain type of "coldness" to it, and the true feelings of a character are never really explored. Some people might not be bothered by this, but I personally simply prefer feeling close and connected to the characters of a story.

This doesn't make the entire book bad though. It certainly was interesting, and Bernhard Schlink is skillful with how he uses words. He describes mundane activities in a wonderful and fascinating way, and this makes me understand 100% why so many schools choose this novel as part of their required reading material.
I also appreciated how he always got straight to the point, instead of writing unnecessary details to prolong the plot points we all already know are coming.
I also couldn't help but feel disgusted at the things taking place in the first part of the book, and I wish the problematic aspects were explored further, instead of just brushing upon the issue later on.

Overall, this was a good book to read inbetween, but nothing life changing or special.