Herman Koch’s The Dinner, translated from the Dutch, is set in modern Amsterdam. Most of the novel’s action takes place over the course of an expensive dinner endured by two couples at an upscale restaurant. The narrator, Paul, begins by expressing his dread over the upcoming evening and alludes t...
Paul and Claire meet his brother, Serge and his wife Babette, for dinner one evening to talk about their children. Serge is running for Prime Minister and wants to do damage control. The other three have other ideas. The story is told in flashbacks of the relationships and events of Paul's life....
3.5 starsI don't know what to say about this book. Everyone in it seems to be crazy. I didn't know what was going on at first. Now that I've finished I don't know how to rate it. It's a weird story, but it's uniquely weird. I just don't know. This book is an experience for sure.
The most remarkable, and frustrating, thing about this novel is the fact that it takes place over the span of one dinner — hence the title. Our main players are two married couples, all with worries and dark motives and problems to work through. Paul is the main character; The Dinner is narrated by ...
Not a spoiler. Just a brief inappropriate rant, for no reason at all… This is only my second Koch. Not sure how much Koch is out there, but I think I liked my first Koch better. I don't know maybe one Koch is enough? Two Koch’s too many? Can there ever really be enough Koch? Depends on who you ask :...
This book was crazy!! It's not one of those books that's full of action but it is a mindF**k. The narrator was so unreliable, yet still he was interesting. I recommend this book but be prepared to not like anyone!! Old crazy ass family!! Except maybe Sergio...anyway I dont want to give away too much...
Two stars only because Mantle's reading is really 5 stars. Okay, I totally believe that (1) middle class white kids can (and do) mean ass things (2) that parents do debate turning in their children (3) that parents might be more concerned with their own lives and their children's lives (4) that ...
Initial reaction: Whoa, this was a complex and intricate look at a very flawed group of individuals attending a dinner. I knew going in that I wouldn't like the characters, but I was fascinated by the story as it unraveled.Full review:"I'm not a man of too many faces,The mask I wear is one." - from ...
Why did I pick up this book? I was at a job interview, true story, for a library assistant position and they asked if I had read this book. When I said that I had not, they both were beside themselves and proceeded to tell me that I absolutely needed to read it. Rather, that I should listen to it be...
(I'm sorry for the lack of detail in this review--I read the book weeks ago and don't have notes to look back on!) This book is geniusly written and completely unique. It's hard to give a synopsis or description that doesn't give too much away, but in a hugely broad and general sense, this book qu...
Important: Our sites use cookies.
We use the information stored using cookies and similar technologies for advertising and statistics purposes.
Stored data allow us to tailor the websites to individual user's interests.
Cookies may be also used by third parties cooperating with BookLikes, like advertisers, research companies and providers of multimedia applications.
You can choose how cookies are handled by your device via your browser settings.
If you choose not to receive cookies at any time, BookLikes will not function properly and certain services will not be provided.
For more information, please go to our Privacy Policy.
Log in with Facebook 
