This is a novel set in post-war Germany. The main character is a fifteen year old boy who fell in love to a thirty six year old woSpoilers everywhere!
This is a novel set in post-war Germany. The main character is a fifteen year old boy who fell in love to a thirty six year old woman. The first part of the book is mostly about their sexual relationship. It is pages and pages of sex after sex after sex. What makes it different from the books I've read before is that this is about a forbidden sexual romance of a young boy and a mature woman whereas in most books it is old man and young girl. The sex scenes are written pretty well and even if it is a weird and controversial one I enjoyed reading it from the boy's point of view. (I saw the movie trailer by the way and it felt gross and wrong to see Kate Winslet's touching a teenager).
The second part is about the meeting of the boy and the woman in a court room (they have been separated at the end of the first part). The woman was charged with murder because her past job was a guard of a camp. If you are familiar with the Holocaust these camps are where the German guards placed the Jews and then after some time they will kill the Jews using the gas chambers. So this is the woman's work, she was alleged to be the leader of the guards and the one who was responsible at the accident that happen. That night of the accident the church where the guards kept the Jews was bombed. The bomb caused the fire. It started on the church's roof. The Jews inside the church started yelling but the guards outside the church did not help them escape. The gates of the church remained locked. Then the Jews inside the church were burned to death. She confessed that she did not unlock the gate because she decided that it might cause panic and maybe they can't control the Jews if they open the gate. She also admitted that she's the one who wrote the report (the boy who is narrating the story will reveal that the woman can't write that report because she's illiterate). The woman chose to admit that she committed murder rather than blew her cover-up that she's illiterate.
Continuation...
It's hard to understand the character of this woman named Hanna. While reading it I tried to analyze why did she make that choice. I'm trying to put myself on her situation and I'm still wondering if I would do the same thing given that I love reading books. Would I chose to admit that I'm illiterate to prove my innocence? It's a hard decision but I think maybe the character believed that she will be charged guilty no matter what she say so she chose to at least retained her cover that she's literate.
I only gave it three stars because I felt that the idea of the book is excellent but somehow the author didn't execute it well. I wished there are more dialogues and the characterization is more in-depth. Sometimes the narration is too lengthy and I felt like I'm distanced from the character's feelings. The monologue of the narrator is too long it felt like reading an essay rather than a novel. The author will spoon-fed the reader with a lot of ideas it makes it boring and irritating. It seems like he wants to say something but I felt lost with his words. It is false eloquence, I think the author thinks the longer he explained something the better ;p. However, I still recommend this book or (maybe watch the movie.)
This is my first time reading a John Grisham novel. Based on what I read from book reviews here in goodreads wherein sometimes reviewers compared authThis is my first time reading a John Grisham novel. Based on what I read from book reviews here in goodreads wherein sometimes reviewers compared authors or they sometimes mentioned their favorite authors, I had this idea that John Grisham wrote serious novels. I'm surprised to find out that this one was not a serious type of novel, but more of a light and humorous one. For me it is a light reading wherein you can read and enjoy it and not be stressed out (compared to Jodi Picoult's). There are parts that for me are really funny like there's this scene that they need to put a Russian doctor on the witness stand out of desperation.
What I really like about it is that I learned a lot of things about the legal system and about lawyers in America. How was it like working in a law firm and all these things lawyers do to make money. And the book also shows continuity because it does not stop from one case. So, I learned that in being a lawyer sometimes you will lose your case, but you can learn from your mistakes and win your next case. I also like the realistic portrayal of lawyers wherein there are lawyers who are almost perfect and there are lawyers who are not that good in litigation. Some only care for money and there are some who genuinely care for people. I still don't know if this is the best book from John Grisham, but this is the latest one so maybe if you are a John Grisham fanatic you really should read this. ...more
The story involves a very interesting rape case. This is my first time reading a rape case wherein there's a big part of me who thinks that the rape vThe story involves a very interesting rape case. This is my first time reading a rape case wherein there's a big part of me who thinks that the rape victim is annoying and I am actually rooting for the rapist. The sweetheart defense is really strong and it's hard to tell who's lying and who's telling the truth. Jodi Picoult is really good at this and it really makes me think hard about what is really going on. There are a lot of twists and turns that makes the story more exciting and engaging.
I already read four of her books (My Sister's Keeper, Nineteen Minutes, The Pact and the Plain Truth) and it feels good that although there are a lot of elements that are still the same I still find this one interesting from her other works. What I like about it is that the plot is well thought out compared to Plain Truth, indeed its plot is very fluid. I like the comic strip parts of the books even though they are fillers, they are nice fillers. I like the Dante's references and how it connects with the storyline.
My only complaint is that I find the ending not satisfying because it lacks closure. I think Jodi Picoult's novels are limited with word count because the story is already really long and maybe she can't write the continuation anymore so it ended that way. I feel bad that there is no court drama in this novel and majority of it is focused on investigation. However, I still find this novel thought-provoking and well written. ...more
The book started a bit slow. Compared to the other Jodi Picoult books that I've read (My Sister's Keeper, Nineteen Minutes, The Pact) this seems a bitThe book started a bit slow. Compared to the other Jodi Picoult books that I've read (My Sister's Keeper, Nineteen Minutes, The Pact) this seems a bit dragging and you probably be bored reading the first half of the book. The thing that I don't like about it is some of the parts of the book is irrelevant and is only there as fillers. Like for example, the paranormal aspect of the story wherein Katie can see her sister Hannah's ghost in the pond. The love story of Katie and Adam is also written poorly. Also, the flashbacks are written in italics that you can hardly read it.
Despite of those flaws, the second half is really interesting and fast-paced. The thing that I really look forward to is reading the court drama in every Jodi Picoult book. It makes you think hard and sometimes it's hard to not really get into it even though you know that it's just fiction. The ending of the story is probably one of the most disturbing and shocking endings that I've read. It is open-ended and it leaves a big question in the mind of its readers.
Spoiler....
At the end, we learned that Katie's mom was the one who killed the baby and she confessed it to Atty. Hathaway after Katie's trial (the decision of the court: Katie is guilty but she will not be put in jail but will suffer a sort of experimental house arrest). Technically, Katie is still free despite the fact that that was the verdict (seems like a victory in the part of the defense) but after the shocking confession of Katie's mom the lawyer was put in the pressure of telling the truth or just keeping it for the sake of everybody. And the story just leave it there with a little bit of hint that the lawyer might just keep it a secret because she has developed a bond in the family....more
Salamat sa classmate ng kapatid ko na indirectly ay nagpahiram sa akin ng book na ito. Masasabi kong sakto lang ang libro. Kung nabasa mo yung mga bluSalamat sa classmate ng kapatid ko na indirectly ay nagpahiram sa akin ng book na ito. Masasabi kong sakto lang ang libro. Kung nabasa mo yung mga blurbs nila Bb. Joyce Bernal at Boy Abunda, etc. maaaring maiisip mong exaggerated at OA na ang mga puri nila. Maganda naman ang book. Minsan napapangiti niya ako. May mga pagkakataon lamang na medyo corny at pilit ang mga jokes na ang sarap nang ibato ng libro sa pader. Kung naging natural sana ang mga cheesy na biro o di na niya tinangkang magbiro ng corny mas mataas pa sana ang rating na ibinigay ko.
Note: I'll post more this weekend. I'm just too busy to write a review. :)...more
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