Whilst one cannot deny that the content of The Reader by Bernhard Schlink is certainly emotive and tragic, I find myself still asking the question - is it really a good book? I feel it lacks both the descriptive detail and the atmosphere which should go with such a harrowing story. I find the style too disruptive to its intentions. The sentences and content are far to stripped and the story lacks any real imagination. It reports too much and it is this which hinders any developed notion of post war Germany. Sorry, I just didn't buy it. Too much style too little content.