The Reader

Set in postwar Germany, the novel follows fifteen-year-old Michael Berg, who becomes ill on his way home from school and is rescued by Hanna, a woman twice his age. Michael later becomes romantically involved with Hanna, and their relationship continues into his adulthood. The story explores the secrets of Hanna's past, which emerge years later during a trial, forcing Michael to confront difficult questions about guilt, memory, and moral responsibility.