The ReaderThe Reader
Score Modern
What it's about
Fifteen-year-old Michael falls ill on his way home and is helped by Hanna, a tram conductor more than twice his age, and they begin an affair. Years later he watches a trial of women accused of Nazi-era crimes, sees her among the defendants, and realizes the secret she's hiding.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read and spent 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists.
You'll love it if you liked
Atonement
Sophie's Choice
The Book ThiefGood to know
It's short, translated from German, and deals with the Holocaust.
By the numbers
- Readers2 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller49 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #1451 of the 1,647 modern books we rank
- #2733 of the 3,056 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Possession
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Anna KareninaExplore the best-of lists
All 47 best-of lists →
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,647 ranked
Books of the 1990sTop 25 · 305 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 504 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 623 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 325 ranked
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelsTop 25 · 63 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 333 rankedQuick answers
Is The Reader worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read and spent 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #2,733 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 57.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Reader about?
Fifteen-year-old Michael falls ill on his way home and is helped by Hanna, a tram conductor more than twice his age, and they begin an affair. Years later he watches a trial of women accused of Nazi-era crimes, sees her among the defendants, and realizes the secret she's hiding.
How long does it take to read The Reader?
About 6 hours (221 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Reader?
If you liked it, try Atonement by Ian McEwan, Sophie's Choice by William Styron or The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.