Bernhard Schlink book summaries

“I was fifteen, and I had jaundice. It was a bad case, and I was taken to the hospital.”

Opening lines of the novel, establishing Michael's age and the illness that leads to his first encounter with Hanna.

“The more I read, the more I wanted to read.”

Michael reflects on his reading habit, which was encouraged by Hanna and became a lifelong passion.

“I was never so happy as I was with her, and I was never so unhappy.”

Michael's reflection on the contradictory nature of his relationship with Hanna.

“What should I have done? Should I have told the court about her illiteracy?”

Michael's internal dilemma during the trial, as he considers whether to reveal Hanna's secret.

“I was afraid that if I saw her, I would not be able to keep my distance.”

Michael explains why he avoided visiting Hanna in prison for many years.

“She had not been a murderer, but she had been a guard.”

Michael's attempt to categorize Hanna's guilt, acknowledging the difference between direct killing and complicity.