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shoshannascott's review against another edition
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I couldn’t finish the book, I couldn’t relate to any of the characters, nor did I find the plot interesting
nouveau's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ellenhawkins's review against another edition
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed the pacing and slow build up of tension in The Dinner. Unfortunately, the ending left something to be desired. I was totally engrossed from the first page, but as the end neared the plot started to lose it's believability and at the conclusion I was left disappointed.
Most other reviewers say that the characters are difficult to relate to, but I had no problem empathizing with the anxiety of spending time with more successful family members who are somewhat removed from the reality of living an average existence. In fact, this was what originally drew me to the book. The author perfectly captures the delicate conversational maneuvering that siblings engage in when they realize that they have almost nothing in common anymore. And that for me made the book well worth the read.
Most other reviewers say that the characters are difficult to relate to, but I had no problem empathizing with the anxiety of spending time with more successful family members who are somewhat removed from the reality of living an average existence. In fact, this was what originally drew me to the book. The author perfectly captures the delicate conversational maneuvering that siblings engage in when they realize that they have almost nothing in common anymore. And that for me made the book well worth the read.
pelle_stoker's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kerameia's review against another edition
3.0
How to put this...did I really like it?
The beauty of this book is the eloquence with which it is written and the clever fitting together of pieces to the puzzle of *what happened,* related during a 4 course dinner at a lavish Dutch restaurant. Served along with the aperitif, main course, dessert, and digestif are insights and memories of past experiences involving the four dinner guests, building up the context in which the reader finds the characters, who are at present faced with a dilemma as to what to do about their children's situation.
I have to say, right off, that further into the story the details are disturbing. Initially I couldn't believe many of the things that the narrator, Paul Lohman, was thinking and doing/had done. However, similarly to Crime and Punishment in which the reader finds themselves slipping (whether or not they want to) into the perspective of Rodion Raskolnikov, the protagonist's voice is so well developed that we can't help but believe it to be real, which sicken us all the more.
The plot is simple, the twists are unexpected yet woven smoothly into the unfolding of events, but all in all it's a disturbing concept at play that leaves you wondering what you are to make of all this.
The beauty of this book is the eloquence with which it is written and the clever fitting together of pieces to the puzzle of *what happened,* related during a 4 course dinner at a lavish Dutch restaurant. Served along with the aperitif, main course, dessert, and digestif are insights and memories of past experiences involving the four dinner guests, building up the context in which the reader finds the characters, who are at present faced with a dilemma as to what to do about their children's situation.
I have to say, right off, that further into the story the details are disturbing. Initially I couldn't believe many of the things that the narrator, Paul Lohman, was thinking and doing/had done. However, similarly to Crime and Punishment in which the reader finds themselves slipping (whether or not they want to) into the perspective of Rodion Raskolnikov, the protagonist's voice is so well developed that we can't help but believe it to be real, which sicken us all the more.
The plot is simple, the twists are unexpected yet woven smoothly into the unfolding of events, but all in all it's a disturbing concept at play that leaves you wondering what you are to make of all this.
ji_reads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
3.25
erinbarton's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
2.5
really interesting premise but any mystery surrounding the crime element of the story is explained too quickly, which ruins any tension built in the first third. the heavy reliance on flashbacks of the narrator’s past experiences are to the book’s detriment as the main plot line (which i found more compelling) winds up being more of a frame narrative.
skishimoto56's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
sunshinemagik's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
lauraborkpower's review against another edition
3.0
We chose this book for our October "creepy" book-club read, and it was a perfect choice. It's not a horror book, but it's just awful -- in a good, "ooh, I hate this, but I can't stop reading" way.
Koch's first person narration sets us up to sympathize with Paul: he adores his wife and would much rather be spending a quiet night hanging out with just her; his brother is a pretentious and self-absorbed politician who makes everything, including a simple dinner reservation, about him. Of course we're on Team Paul.
But then the onion starts to peel and we realize that Paul's not a terrifically reliable narrator, and there's a lot more going on here than it first seemed. With each detail and anecdote, I became more and more uncomfortable, and I loved it. These characters are all playing a game, and it's really only Serge -- our unlikable brother -- who is straightforward. Sort of.
I could have done without the biological sub-plot: Paul's illness and the subsequent curiosity about whether or not Claire got an amniocentesis. It didn't matter to me, and it's a lot more interesting to simply draw a straight line between Paul's and Michel's behavior.
But overall, it's icky, uncomfortable, and enjoyable.
Koch's first person narration sets us up to sympathize with Paul: he adores his wife and would much rather be spending a quiet night hanging out with just her; his brother is a pretentious and self-absorbed politician who makes everything, including a simple dinner reservation, about him. Of course we're on Team Paul.
But then the onion starts to peel and we realize that Paul's not a terrifically reliable narrator, and there's a lot more going on here than it first seemed. With each detail and anecdote, I became more and more uncomfortable, and I loved it. These characters are all playing a game, and it's really only Serge -- our unlikable brother -- who is straightforward. Sort of.
I could have done without the biological sub-plot: Paul's illness and the subsequent curiosity about whether or not Claire got an amniocentesis. It didn't matter to me, and it's a lot more interesting to simply draw a straight line between Paul's and Michel's behavior.
But overall, it's icky, uncomfortable, and enjoyable.