that's what happens in band hutch links novel the reader it's 1950 s. germany and 15 year old falls head over heels for an older woman a street car conductor named hannah hannah is fascinating and she's freaky she bathes gently and she also beats him. to to develop a ritual when they meet to make love she insists that he read to her. years later as a law student michelle attends a trial where hanna is the defendant he learns that she was a guard at a concentration camp and that she watched as hundreds of women and children burned to death the reader is about post-war germany trying to come to terms with its nazi past. when i tried to understand it i had the feeling i was failing to condemn it as it must be can down when i condemned it as it must be condemned there was no room for understanding. and is accused of ordering the victims be kept locked inside a burning building and of writing a report about the massacre she couldn't have written the report because she's illiterate but she's too ashamed to admit it and so she takes the fall. kate winslet won