part 1

            First off, I must say I already enjoy reading the first part of the reader; however, there are a few things I found unrealistic. For example, Michael, a fifteen-year old boy and Hanna, a 36 year-old woman, would not be having this relationship in real life. A fifteen year old and a thirty year old are in completely different stages of life and have different views, goals, and expectations. So, except for the end of part one when their relationship crumbled, I thought their relationship should have failed from the beginning. Aside from their joint issues, independently, Hanna is a psycho. Why is she looking at a fifteen-year old boy, who she had helped take care of when he was sick, in a sexual way?  In the beginning, their relationship is similar to a mother-son relationship: nurturing, caring, and definitely not sexual. Of course Michael is too immature to understand her strange intentions with him because he is infatuated with her. Michael gets frustrated by her insensitivity for his feelings, but he also doesn’t realize that she is using him for sex and if she was truly emotionally involved, she would allow their relationship to be seen publicly. I feel bad for Michael because to him this is his first “love”. He should spend more time concentrating on someone his own age, like Sophie, instead of continue to be used by an older woman.

            Fortunately for Michael, in the end of part one Hanna disappears. She quits her job and vanishes without telling him her plans. He becomes physically sick because he’s heart broken, but again, being the immature boy he is, he doesn’t realize that the distance is beneficial.

            Overall I like the book and am very grateful that is easy to read.

-morgan mills