In 1958, Germany was devastated after World War II. A 15-year-old boy named Mike Bergliving in Berlin suffered scarlet fever. When he returned home from school, he suddenly became vomiting. At this time, a man named Han Na's strange woman helped him. After recovering, he found Hannah to thank her, but the two quickly became involved in a passionate and secret relationship, although Hannah was much older than Mike. Mike found that Hannah liked listening to him reading, and the power of his reading made their relationship closer. After reading book by book, Hannah was deeply fascinated. However, one day, Hannah suddenly left without saying goodbye, leaving Mike secretly hurt.
In 1966, although Mike had forgotten Hannah, that relationship has always been his sweetest memory. Already a law school intern, he participated in a trial of Nazi war criminals before graduation. At this moment, Mike and Hannah met again, but to his surprise, he never expected that he would meet Hannah like this. It turns out that Hannah had been a female guard in a Nazi concentration camp and faced the facts. Hannah confessed, and because she did not want to expose her ignorance in front of everyone, she confessed to a felony that did not belong to her. Mike was able to help Hannah clarify the facts at this time. Out of condemnation of Hannah's crimes and unwilling to expose his relationship with Hannah, he chose silence, and Hannah was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Mikebegan to send self-reading tapes to Hannah in prison many years later. This allowed Hannah to find the meaning and courage to live again, and Hannah went through the tapes and books. After learning to read and write, she began to write letters to Mike. Mike has never replied to Hannah, maybe he wanted to escape the feeling of self-blame, maybe he didn't have the courage to face Hannah, which made Hannah feel extremely lonely. It was time for Hannah to be released. Mike came to the prison and saw the gray-haired Hannah. Although he promised to provide Hannah with material assistance after being released from prison, he refused to shake hands with Hannah, and said he refused this. Feelings, Hannah despaired and committed suicide.
