Can a book about the seduction of a 15 year-old boy really be romantic? Ask someone who grew up watching “The Graduate” and they’ll tell you – “Yes!” My guess is that the author of “The Reader“, Bernhard Schlink, has seen it.

What “The Reader” has that “The Graduate” does not, is a great plot twist that makes us think, even as it sets you reeling. It’s also incredibly short and easy to read.

While it’s romantic, is it for women only? Definitely not. Much like “The Graduate”, my guess is that “The Reader” probably appeals nearly as much to men as to women.

The story is told from a young man’s perspective who’s vulnerable and foolish. Our heroine is not your typical soft and feminine lady. While the characters may not catch your fancy or engender your sympathies, they will draw you in.

If you like “The Reader”, check out “The Book Thief”, a more mature, more complex cousin.