OK, I'll admit it: I'm a little bit of a goldfish when it comes to my reading choices. I tend to avoid foreign authors -- I'm just more comfortable with the average American voice and point of view.
However, I'm trying to stretch my boundaries. And I had heard too many amazing things abut Herman Koch's thriller The Dinner to ignore it because it was a translation.
First - this is a great translation. I didn't notice the awkward use of vernacular or misused word choice that usually marks those titles, in my opinion. And the story is so killer -- pardon the pun -- even a word nerd like me might choose to overlook a poor turn of phrase here or there.
The Dinner is framed in a unique way -- rather than chapters, the book is staged through the courses of an elegant dinner in a Dutch eatery. The main character and his wife are meeting his estranged brother -- a rising political star -- and sister-in-law for dinner. The tension between the characters is palpable from the very first pages, although as readers it takes some time to discover the root of their relationship problems.
As the story moves quickly through dish after dish, Koch masterfully reveals a grim and unexpected mystery within a mystery centering on the couples' children -- three teen boys w ho have committed a horrible act. But the main focus of the story is the clever and unexpected way Koch reveals the true motivations of the diners, the subtle shifts of reliability among the characters, and a interesting take on what we're all capable of doing to protect the ones we love.
As a side note, this book absolutely screams to be a book club choice. It's duplicitous and surprising plots twists provide great discussion points, and everyone is sure to have an opinion after peeling back the layers of these memorable characters.
However, I'm trying to stretch my boundaries. And I had heard too many amazing things abut Herman Koch's thriller The Dinner to ignore it because it was a translation.
First - this is a great translation. I didn't notice the awkward use of vernacular or misused word choice that usually marks those titles, in my opinion. And the story is so killer -- pardon the pun -- even a word nerd like me might choose to overlook a poor turn of phrase here or there.
The Dinner is framed in a unique way -- rather than chapters, the book is staged through the courses of an elegant dinner in a Dutch eatery. The main character and his wife are meeting his estranged brother -- a rising political star -- and sister-in-law for dinner. The tension between the characters is palpable from the very first pages, although as readers it takes some time to discover the root of their relationship problems.
As the story moves quickly through dish after dish, Koch masterfully reveals a grim and unexpected mystery within a mystery centering on the couples' children -- three teen boys w ho have committed a horrible act. But the main focus of the story is the clever and unexpected way Koch reveals the true motivations of the diners, the subtle shifts of reliability among the characters, and a interesting take on what we're all capable of doing to protect the ones we love.
As a side note, this book absolutely screams to be a book club choice. It's duplicitous and surprising plots twists provide great discussion points, and everyone is sure to have an opinion after peeling back the layers of these memorable characters.
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