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The Reader
by Traci Chee
The Reader is 437 pages long, yet I can't seem to find the words to describe this novel. This is a book. This is a book about words, stories, self, family and love. This is a book for people of any age who long for words, who live for stories, who find themselves so wrapped up in the pages of books that they can't determine what is real. Have you ever been talking to a friend and she tells a story and you think "this reminds me of...." and you realize it reminds you of something you read in a book? If so, this book is for you!
I don't think that I can properly summarize The Reader, especially without ruining some of the surprises that the book contains. So instead, let me quote some passages.
In respect to choosing one's one destiny; "Maybe he could choose to be all-person: Archer, hunter, protector, artichoke-trimmer, gambler, ship's boy, quartz-holder, friend. This realization began to simmer inside him, slowly at first, but then faster and fiercer, until he was hot and brimming with it. Maybe he could choose."
In respect to the power of words: "People are weak. They can't be trusted. Can you imagine what Kelanna would be like if everyone could do what you and I can do? Men would be turned into dogs and never turned back. Castles would disintegrate with the wave of a hand. Thieves and murderers, slave traders and warlords, the worst kinds of people would rule Kelanna because they would use the word for evil. It would be chaos."
One more quote, this one is harder to find, but you'll discover it if you're paying attention. "...words are seeds in which meanings are curled pages of oceans and margins of land are civilizations."
Yes. I couldn't have said it better myself. Thank you Traci Chee.
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