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3.33 AVERAGE
3.33 AVERAGE
Well written and compelling to keep reading but oooohh so repellant. Hated it because the characters were despicable, the story was not a nice one. But Koch could sure write it well. Another reviewer said she didn't want to go to the doctor after reading this....yes, it does make you wonder a little.
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Although not as good as The Dinner, this was still well written and sharp.
aaah DOES AUTHOR KNOW WHAT Happened?
so many suspicious details and unanswered questions, is it author's trick or i read too fast and missed details.
who knows, but i liked it :)
so many suspicious details and unanswered questions, is it author's trick or i read too fast and missed details.
who knows, but i liked it :)
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I read this on vacation, and was completely absorbed for the final two thirds. I found the first 50-75 pages a bit slow. I
I never truly understood the father, Marc and his motivations/deal. Why did he dislike people and the human body so much? Why did he end up with his wife? Did he love her? Had he cheated before? Did he consummate the cheating with Judith or was that just to keep her suspicions at bay for the purposes of the investigation? Was he a sociopath as he appeared to be? And was it just me, or did he remind any other readers of the main male character of Koch's other novel "The Dinner"?
I never truly understood the father, Marc and his motivations/deal. Why did he dislike people and the human body so much? Why did he end up with his wife? Did he love her? Had he cheated before? Did he consummate the cheating with Judith or was that just to keep her suspicions at bay for the purposes of the investigation? Was he a sociopath as he appeared to be? And was it just me, or did he remind any other readers of the main male character of Koch's other novel "The Dinner"?
Dr. Marc Schlossler provides the first-person narration in this title, which is not really a mystery but has some mystery to it, and isn't an extreme thriller, but does have some suspense going on. If nasty, reprehensible characters make your eyelids twitch (Ha! If you read it, you'll see what I did there!), then you should probably stay away.
Dr. Marc overflows with self-centeredness and an extreme dislike of his patients. He's homophobic and hypocritical, and his inner thoughts are vile, cruel, and twisted. This might be annoying in the hands of a lesser writer, but Koch knows how to write, and nails the characters. There are even other characters that are nastier than Marc!
I loved being privvy to Marc's painfully honest thoughts. Most of the story centers around a summer vacation, at, of course, a house with a swimming pool. So much happens there in a compressed amount of time, things that set the course Marc takes for the latter part of the novel.
I usually only read some at night, and during lunch breaks here and there. This one, I devoured. It's really a page-turner. Yet I liked the first half or so much better than the rest. I was sucked in enough to see how things played out. Some flash-backs are thrown in. Not all questions are answered at the end, and some that are still remain unclear.
Last summer was my first exposure to this Dutch author, and I liked [b:The Dinner|15797938|The Dinner|Herman Koch|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355949630s/15797938.jpg|6463092] too. I don't plan on seeking out any translations for his earlier work, but I will likely pick up his next localized for English title.
Dr. Marc overflows with self-centeredness and an extreme dislike of his patients. He's homophobic and hypocritical, and his inner thoughts are vile, cruel, and twisted. This might be annoying in the hands of a lesser writer, but Koch knows how to write, and nails the characters. There are even other characters that are nastier than Marc!
I loved being privvy to Marc's painfully honest thoughts. Most of the story centers around a summer vacation, at, of course, a house with a swimming pool. So much happens there in a compressed amount of time, things that set the course Marc takes for the latter part of the novel.
I usually only read some at night, and during lunch breaks here and there. This one, I devoured. It's really a page-turner. Yet I liked the first half or so much better than the rest. I was sucked in enough to see how things played out. Some flash-backs are thrown in. Not all questions are answered at the end, and some that are still remain unclear.
Last summer was my first exposure to this Dutch author, and I liked [b:The Dinner|15797938|The Dinner|Herman Koch|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355949630s/15797938.jpg|6463092] too. I don't plan on seeking out any translations for his earlier work, but I will likely pick up his next localized for English title.
If you like dark antihero fiction, you will like this book. I found the narrator to be repulsive, but that did not stop me from enjoying the book. Much like Koch's The Dinner, you will not find any character to root for here, but the writing is excellent and the story will grab you.
This book was definitely disturbing - a slow burn but worth it. It was multi-layered and even though I wanted to stop, I couldn't.