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This book is so depressing. I'm not sure why I'm still reading it nor if I will finish it. A bit like a film noir.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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:
No
โข General: 1โ
๐ช๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด
We have another thriller about a man who hates another successful man but is forced to interact with him, like "The Diner." This book consists mainly of many flashbacks, this would not be a problem if the main goal were to make the plot move more. Many times, they were boring and silly things, something 'relevant' happened from time to time but that's it. The translation has many complicated and unnecessary words to describe something or someone. Besides that, it goes into details of irrelevant things instead of focusing on the characters themselves.
๐พ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ช๐จ๐๐ค๐ฃ: Confusing but passable if you make an effort to understand and analyze the events.
๐ฃ๐น๐ผ๐
I'm disappointed to see what the main plot of the book was. It's supposed to be a mystery, a thriller, but this book lacks all of that and more. In my opinion, the main character was looking for more reasons to hate the rich man who invited them to his house. I'm not going to blame him for suspecting everyone for what happened to his daughter, but he should have investigated more, insist on answers, continue insisting and asking the rich man's son on what happened, since he was close to the daughter. Or just keep taking his daughter to a specialist, it would have taken time but sooner or later the truth would have come to light. It all comes down to him not wanting to be there, in the same place as that man, something bad happens that makes him hate him even more, To the point that he decides to kill him slowly. Even the responsible was disappointing. Nor do we know the exact reasons why the daughter decided to go with that man, those are things that happen in real life and I think that is the only scary factor
๐พ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ช๐จ๐๐ค๐ฃ: The plot gets boring and there is a lack of content in some parts.
๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
There is not much to say... Marc, the main character, is narcissistic, shallow, and one-sided. This man is disgusted with everything and certainly he is not someone charismatic who cares about people or his patients, how on earth did he decide to become a doctor? Ralph, the rich man, is someone with an arrogant, obnoxious, and disgusting mentality. The other characters are similar to these two or are simply too basic and irrelevant to remember.
๐พ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ช๐จ๐๐ค๐ฃ: From my point of view, you don't have to bother to understand the characters, after all, they are insignificant.
๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐๐
There are no relevant physical details of other characters in the book, but the main characters are all white, possibly European.
๐พ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ช๐จ๐๐ค๐ฃ: No
โฃ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ?
If you want to get acquainted with Dutch literature or if you like boring stories of things that could happen "in real life". In my opinion, it is not worth wasting your time.
๐พ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ช๐จ๐๐ค๐ฃ: No
๐ช๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด
We have another thriller about a man who hates another successful man but is forced to interact with him, like "The Diner." This book consists mainly of many flashbacks, this would not be a problem if the main goal were to make the plot move more. Many times, they were boring and silly things, something 'relevant' happened from time to time but that's it. The translation has many complicated and unnecessary words to describe something or someone. Besides that, it goes into details of irrelevant things instead of focusing on the characters themselves.
๐พ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ช๐จ๐๐ค๐ฃ: Confusing but passable if you make an effort to understand and analyze the events.
๐ฃ๐น๐ผ๐
I'm disappointed to see what the main plot of the book was. It's supposed to be a mystery, a thriller, but this book lacks all of that and more. In my opinion, the main character was looking for more reasons to hate the rich man who invited them to his house.
๐พ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ช๐จ๐๐ค๐ฃ: The plot gets boring and there is a lack of content in some parts.
๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
There is not much to say... Marc, the main character, is narcissistic, shallow, and one-sided. This man is disgusted with everything and certainly he is not someone charismatic who cares about people or his patients, how on earth did he decide to become a doctor? Ralph, the rich man, is someone with an arrogant, obnoxious, and disgusting mentality. The other characters are similar to these two or are simply too basic and irrelevant to remember.
๐พ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ช๐จ๐๐ค๐ฃ: From my point of view, you don't have to bother to understand the characters, after all, they are insignificant.
๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐๐
There are no relevant physical details of other characters in the book, but the main characters are all white, possibly European.
๐พ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ช๐จ๐๐ค๐ฃ: No
โฃ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ?
If you want to get acquainted with Dutch literature or if you like boring stories of things that could happen "in real life". In my opinion, it is not worth wasting your time.
๐พ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ช๐จ๐๐ค๐ฃ: No
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
La storia sembra tutta spoilerata nella quarta di copertina. E per i piรน puri d'animo che "le quarte di copertina no", nelle prime 3 o 4 pagine del romanzo.
AH!
E invece no, destro-sinistro, gancio e calcio rotante.. Herman Koch vi stenderร . E come al solito vi farร rimanere malissimo, con un senso di marcio e di malessere dentro.
AH!
E invece no, destro-sinistro, gancio e calcio rotante.. Herman Koch vi stenderร . E come al solito vi farร rimanere malissimo, con un senso di marcio e di malessere dentro.
characters that make your skin crawl and a story that engages like a car wreck. I did enjoy this book in an odd way
I greatly enjoyed this book. Herman Koch is a marvelous writer, no doubt. I did think, however, that Zomerhuis met Zwembad resembled 'Het Diner' too much. The main characters are both douchebags, they both hate the antagonist of the story, and they overall have the same traits and specifics. I haven't read anything else by Koch yet, but I do hope his other work isn't too much like said books. I would like to see whether Koch can, for instance, create a somewhat gentler, nicer character.
I received Summer House (with Swimming Pool) by Herman Koch from bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for a review. I have to say I'm glad I chose this book. I was both intrigued and uncomfortable throughout every step of this book. The main character and the books only narrator, Marc, is, in my opinion, the worst character among a bunch of vile characters! I couldn't stand being subjected to his thoughts; but at the same time i kept turning page after page in the hopes of finally glimpsing what ever awful event that started this whole book. I will definitely be reading another Herman Koch book!
When a medical procedure goes wrong and famous actor Ralph Meier winds up dead, Dr. Marc Schlosser needs to come up with some answers. It all started the summer before when Marc, his wife, and two daughters are invited to spend the summer with Ralph and his family at their summer rental. Narrated, unreliably, by Marc, a doctor to rich and famous people in the "creative professions." Stars are drawn to him for being liberal in dispensing attention and prescriptions. Itโs a slow burn, but Kochโs exploration of gender, guilt, and vengeance make Summer House with Swimming Pool an absorbing read