A review by dawnthoma100
The Dinner by Herman Koch

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The fundamental idea of this book—the extent parents will go to protect their children—was appealing to me. I found that the storyline made sense when it was set around a tense family dinner; the tension was skilfully built.  I felt a little let down by the story's underlying events, which included the nature and source of the illness, how it had affected his life, and his relationships with his brother, wife, and son. Also, the fundamentals like how they made ends meet in their non-working lives.