Book Review - The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

What if, You fall in love with a woman more than double your age? What if, she turns out to be a criminal? What would you do? What should you do? What is right? What is wrong?

Such is the story in this beautiful book where Michael, 15 our protagonist meets Hanna 36 and he falls in love with her. They make love and he reads to her. 

The book is divided in 3 parts each focusing on three different times in their lives. 

Michael meets and fall in love with Hanna. Who loves to hear him read to her hence the title. They spend time together and enjoy each other's company. They fight, make up and then fight some more. But then one day she is gone.

Michael sees Hanna again after many years as a criminal who is awaiting trial and he attends the trial as a law student. The book is full of sadness and love. Our hero struggles with himself and his love for Hanna in light of her crime. But can you ever forget your first love?

Michael continues to try to find meaning with his life and this love for Hanna and trying to find why she did what she did and her life as a Nazi.

I loved this book may be you would too.

My Ratings - 5/5
In Stars       - *****/*****




P.S. - This is part of First Reads Challenge 2014
  

Book Review - Hexagon by Ishaan Lalit

Image Credit - http://priyankazneverland.blogspot.in Thanks

So there you have it a Sci-Fi book by an Indian author. That was my primary motivation to buy this book and it was like a breath of fresh air seeing this book among all the myriad kind of love stories which were on offer. Kudos to Ishaan on thinking out of mold. 

Now coming to the review of the actual book. In a word 'Meh' don't get me wrong I liked the book but its not kind of book which would linger in your thoughts by the virtue of being that good. Though the concept is good but the treatment is lacking. 

The story is about a thief Rahul Oberoi who was never caught but his luck runs out when he is caught with his girl friend. But rather than taking them to police station they are taken to a secret base where Rahul's Grandfather worked and we have a secret structure called Hexagon which is a portal between 6 parallel worlds. We come to know that all the worlds are under attack by a vicious people who are called Moths and only Rahul can save all the worlds. And then we are taken through all the different worlds in order to save them all. 

Story is okay but again execution is poor. There are so many mistakes that it appears that there was no editor who worked on the book. Also so many continuity mistakes that it also appears that there was no proofreading done. To top it all there is an entire chapter repeated word to word. Totally unacceptable. 

So in all the book was Okay but could have been better if worked on pace and also if the spelling and other errors are corrected. In all there can be a v2 of this book with corrected mistakes.

In all my rating goes 3/5 ***/*****

P.S. - This reviews is also eligible for "First Read Challenge 2014" and IQRC 2014 (Indian Quill Reading Challenge 2014)