Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Dinner by Herman Koch

89 reviews

bookish_houseplant's review against another edition

dark slow-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Murder, and Physical abuse

ablosa's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Mental illness

Moderate: Racism

emilyyyyyyyy's review against another edition

challenging dark tense 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Murder

Moderate: Mental illness, Racial slurs, and Racism

hannibanani29's review

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Alcohol, Hate crime, Violence, Classism, Cursing, Death, and Racism

go2hellstephanie's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

The Dinner unsettled me in ways I wasn't expecting, even for a thriller novel. A story that takes place over the course of one dinner couldn't be that bad, right? 

Being in the mind of Paul Lohman became more and more uncomfortable as more was revealed of the crime

his son committed

that sparks the plot for the book. His attitudes, seemingly normal if not a bit aggressive, at the beginning of the book became more unsettling and horrifying as I read further and more was revealed. There were several moments where I had to close the book because of the discomfort I felt.

I was surprised at how much horror I felt at the end of the novel, even after I thought most things had been revealed. It's a testament to Koch's skill in writing that dawning dread.

It was a great read--perfectly horrific without excessive gore. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Violence

syaluo's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Violence, Classism, and Mental illness

niliii's review against another edition

dark 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

0.5

A truly terrible book. .5 stars because at least it was a fast read, though it felt like it took forever.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Murder

Moderate: Bullying, Mental illness, Classism, and Racism

melosamatic's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Misogyny and Homophobia

zestymelon's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Classism

Minor: Racism

A very minor character dies by getting set on fire. Racism is more subtext, but very much a part of the book. All of this is intentional commentary

gilliav's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Murder