A review by andrewspink
Het koninklijk huis by Herman Koch

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

4.0

The plot of this book is lightly based on the characters and history of the Dutch royal family, with a touch more drama than the real-life soap that they are.  It is amusingly done and even though it steps beyond the bounds of what actually goes on (so far as we know!) Herman Koch makes it all seem quite plausible. There are quite a lot of sub-plots and character, just like in a soap, but that does mean that there are quite a few loose ends left over, especially with regard to Vera, which is a pity. 
Readers who are fierce royalists will probably consider it to be too irreverent, but for republicans like myself it is a nice piece of fun. 
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