"The Dinner" by Herman Koch
Translated from Dutch by Sam Garrett
Published by Hogarth
3.75/5 stars (I just can't give it 4, although the rest of my book club did)
This is an odd book in that the first third I found very comical, the middle started to turn a little dark and made you consider your own personal values and morals, and then there is the last third of the book......it is completely dark and disturbing. You end up hating all the characters. There isn't one redeeming quality about any of them.
The novel takes place during a single evening, the majority of which is during dinner in a fancy restaurant. Granted, there are flashbacks thrown in there as well. Two brothers and their wives go to dinner and there is a huge "elephant in the room" regarding their sons recent actions. The police have a video, but only the family knows it's them. Should it remain that way? Once they decide to openly discuss it.....all hell breaks loose. The things these people say and do will shock you.
This is not a book for everyone because, as I said, parts are quite dark and disturbing. If you are OK with that, then give it a try. And then let me know what you would do if it were your son or daughter.
I read this back in January. It disturbed me because it was so dark and yet I found it oddly fascinating. I wanted to throw it across the room when I finished. Who could blame the kids when the parents were such goofs. I loved reading someone else's view.
ReplyDeleteYou aren't alone - the need to throw the book across a room seems to be a trend among readers based on other reviews I've read :)
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