Reviews

The Dinner by Herman Koch

morganstarnes's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.0

jasyyyy's review against another edition

2.0

It's rare that I'm happy to be done with a book. At its core, The Dinner is about family - protection, betrayal, deceit, drama - all the makings of a juicy read. This could have been so good! However, the setting is at a high end restaurant and much of the book rambles on with pointless details about the meal, the menu, the waitstaff, the other diners, the restaurant, the bathroom, the waitstaff's uniforms, the restaurant's landscaping, etc. If you're bored reading the list, imagine reading 200+ pages of that. In reality, this could have been a 100 page book.
There were many loose ends and tangents that went nowhere and the characters were barely developed. In fact, I felt no connection to any of them and found them all quite annoying.
I wanted to stop reading this book multiple times, but kept telling myself it had a good cliffhanger waiting for me. The ending was alluded to and predictable, so therefore a letdown. Overall a disappointing, overrated book.

kieraisreading's review against another edition

tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No

3.0

strange and a little slow but i enjoyed seeing the puzzle pieces click into place a bit 

adenalf's review against another edition

2.0

I had a hard time rating this book. I couldn't put it down - but I also didn't enjoy reading it, and am not quite sure what the point is.

vdiviesti's review against another edition

3.0

This book was ok, but not something I would normally read. There were too many "side" stories for me that didn't really add to the plot.

anluluz's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Hate crime

Moderate: Physical abuse, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Murder

Minor: Xenophobia and Racism

doctor_km's review against another edition

4.0

I would have to say that this book took enough turns that I really never knew what was going to happen. it started off slow and seemed to be building toward something but what that thing is turns out to not be what you expect. and then a twist and then another twist and then another twist and it ends up nowhere near where you expected. overall I really enjoyed it

chloerose2193's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

lizee59402's review against another edition

4.0

It was a suspenseful read that I couldn't put down. The story of two brothers and their wives at dinner, and the secret they all carry, is well crafted in such a way that builds as the courses are served. I really liked how details are permanently omitted by the narrator and how you get brief glimpses into his own illness, which is never named throughout the novel. It leaves the reader thinking of how the narrator's son might also have unnamed illness, another variable playing into the secret causing much turmoil among the two couples at dinner. Suspenseful and interesting, yet disturbingly keeping the issues 'in the family'.

abigail_reading's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

This book is going to live rent free in my head I think. What a dark look into the head of a truly disturbed and unlikable main character. The lack of self awareness or remorse is a really interesting to explore from a first person perspective. It also explores the relationship between a parent and child and how hard it is to let them deal with the consequences of their actions.