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3.33 AVERAGE
3.33 AVERAGE
A middle-aged white European man, who works in a profession that is revered (to a point) and caters for wealthy patients views the world from a point of privilege. He pronounces judgements and describes how it functions with a tired cynicism, as if nothing can change and it simply is the way it is, and that's that. He treats men with a degree of contempt, yet surrounds himself with the worst. He treats women as they are there only to serve purposes. He has little interest in much.
The narrator protagonist is an unlikeable, assured and self-centred character. You don't like him. But he is compelling. The simple directness of his telling is propulsive, nothing much happens for long stretches, and yet the book reads like a cliffhung thriller. I am glued to it, in spite of the book and its chorus of detestables.
The book becomes a story about what happens to us when faced with dire situations, especially those of our own making.
Unfortunately the characters responds in a manner only befitting his hyper-masculine stature. I haven't read to the end, but maybe that will be the point - circumstance doesn't change who we are.
The narrator protagonist is an unlikeable, assured and self-centred character. You don't like him. But he is compelling. The simple directness of his telling is propulsive, nothing much happens for long stretches, and yet the book reads like a cliffhung thriller. I am glued to it, in spite of the book and its chorus of detestables.
The book becomes a story about what happens to us when faced with dire situations, especially those of our own making.
Unfortunately the characters responds in a manner only befitting his hyper-masculine stature. I haven't read to the end, but maybe that will be the point - circumstance doesn't change who we are.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Recommended by Becky K. Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Ssummer%20house%20with%20swimming%20pool%20koch__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=pearl
dark
lighthearted
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Medical content
Moderate: Rape, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Murder, Sexual harassment
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death
Just ok for me. Although I think the basic story was solid--it definitely kept me turning the pages--Marc and Ralph were just horrible. The misogyny that ran rampant in this book was jarring. Women were viewed primarily as objects or possessions when they weren't being portrayed as silly, or nags, or too pretty for their own good. I couldn't get beyond it. I wanted them all dead. I really enjoyed The Dinner, so I was disappointed. That said, you could probably use this for a book group and have plenty to discuss
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The book didn’t really have a super clear storyline and the ending felt a bit underwhelming
challenging
dark
tense
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Deeply disturbing.... Elicited an overly emotional reaction from me that I didn't know I was capable of.
Wow. It's been awhile since I read a book in one day. I read his last book quickly, also. There's something about his writing that I can't resist. It's dark, it's morally questionable at times, but it's excellent. Koch is a master of writing flawed characters and making them very believable. This book was full of suspense and uncertainty until the very end, and I thought that Koch did a great job of writing a very satisfying resolution.
Zoals in "Het diner", schrijft Koch deze roman in zijn typische suspense-stijl met een groot gevoel voor zwarte humor. In schijnbaar alledaagse gebeurtenissen - een vakantie aan zee met het gezin - schuilen onheilspellende elementen. Ze worden vaak niet expliciet verteld, maar je voelt ze wel: ze worden meesterlijk gesuggereerd... doet me denken aan een Hitchcock-film. Wie heeft Julia, de dochter van Marc, het hoofdpersonage, verkracht? In een aanval van wraakgevoelens - en verachting - voor acteur Ralph, besluit de dokter (Marc) om een vroeg opgespoorde kanker niet verder op te volgen. Méér nog: hij verspreidt de kanker in heel het lichaam van Ralph. Moord? Medische fout?
Opnieuw is hier een moreel vraagstuk aan de orde: mag een mens zomaar het recht in eigen handen nemen (Het Diner)? Is het zo dat een mens "biologisch" reageert als zijn dochter bijvoorbeeld wordt verkracht en dat zo een verkrachter volgens "biologische wetten" moet uitgeschakeld worden?
Professor Herz is het die hier het antwoord lijkt te geven: "Ja! Marc heef juist gehandeld." Of toch niet?
Zeer meeslepende roman, maar ook met een uitgesproken vorm van humor.
Opnieuw is hier een moreel vraagstuk aan de orde: mag een mens zomaar het recht in eigen handen nemen (Het Diner)? Is het zo dat een mens "biologisch" reageert als zijn dochter bijvoorbeeld wordt verkracht en dat zo een verkrachter volgens "biologische wetten" moet uitgeschakeld worden?
Professor Herz is het die hier het antwoord lijkt te geven: "Ja! Marc heef juist gehandeld." Of toch niet?
Zeer meeslepende roman, maar ook met een uitgesproken vorm van humor.