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carolpk 's review for:
Summer House with Swimming Pool
by Herman Koch
My sincere thanks to Hogarth Publishing & Netgalley for providing the e-galley of this book to be published June 2014.
In Koch's hands Summer House with Swimming Pool is like a sculpture. Koch, the sculptor, forms a piece of art, his words used like a hunk of clay that he carves in intricate layers before our eyes. He is a master at presenting characters that are not only unlikeable but are disturbing.
We are sucked in slowly, introduced to general practitioner, Dr. Marc Schlosser. Before long, we wonder just what kind of doctor is he, this man who views his patients with contempt and has utter disregard for the human body. He examines his patients using tactics to avoid any contact with human flesh, rarely having them disrobe for a complete exam, never taking seriously the medical treatment or advice they may need. This doctor truly nauseates me but the thoughts that go through his mind fascinate me nonetheless.
Then one of Dr. Schlosser's patients, if not a good friend, at least an acquaintance, dies. Is this medical euthanasia , malpractice, or something far more sinister?
As he did so well in The Dinner, Koch manages to weave a complicated, tangled psychological story with just a handful of skillfully developed characters. Highly recommended.
In Koch's hands Summer House with Swimming Pool is like a sculpture. Koch, the sculptor, forms a piece of art, his words used like a hunk of clay that he carves in intricate layers before our eyes. He is a master at presenting characters that are not only unlikeable but are disturbing.
We are sucked in slowly, introduced to general practitioner, Dr. Marc Schlosser. Before long, we wonder just what kind of doctor is he, this man who views his patients with contempt and has utter disregard for the human body. He examines his patients using tactics to avoid any contact with human flesh, rarely having them disrobe for a complete exam, never taking seriously the medical treatment or advice they may need. This doctor truly nauseates me but the thoughts that go through his mind fascinate me nonetheless.
Then one of Dr. Schlosser's patients, if not a good friend, at least an acquaintance, dies. Is this medical euthanasia , malpractice, or something far more sinister?
As he did so well in The Dinner, Koch manages to weave a complicated, tangled psychological story with just a handful of skillfully developed characters. Highly recommended.