Schlink's latest foray into fiction is far more concerned with ideas than with plot development and characterization. Some critics were able to overlook this unusual format -- a continuous succession of conversations -- in favor of his astute exploration of the character and collective struggle of a country still mired in the horrors of its past. Schlink skillfully mines the tension between the passionate idealism of youth and the nagging uncertainties of middle age in "a cross between The Big Chill and a talky, Jean-Luc Godard film" (Cleveland Plain Dealer). Conversely, critics seeking a more conventional novel rued the sluggish plot, lifeless characters, and unanswered questions. Readers willing to forego these traditional features will likely appreciate the moral complexities unearthed in The Weekend. This is an excerpt from a review published in Bookmarks magazine.