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The Dinner
The Dinner | Herman Koch
"A European Gone Girl." --The Wall Street JournalAn internationally bestselling phenomenon: the darkly suspenseful, highly controversial tale of two families struggling to make the hardest decision of their lives -- all over the course of one meal.It's a summer's evening in Amsterdam, and two couples meet at a fashionable restaurant for dinner. Between mouthfuls of food and over the polite scrapings of cutlery, the conversation remains a gentle hum of polite discourse -- the banality of work, the triviality of the holidays. But behind the empty words, terrible things need to be said, and with every forced smile and every new course, the knives are being sharpened. Each couple has a fifteen-year-old son. The two boys are united by their accountability for a single horrific act; an act that has triggered a police investigation and shattered the comfortable, insulated worlds of their families. As the dinner reaches its culinary climax, the conversation finally touches on their children. As civility and friendship disintegrate, each couple show just how far they are prepared to go to protect those they love. Tautly written, incredibly gripping, and told by an unforgettable narrator, The Dinner promises to be the topic of countless dinner party debates. Skewering everything from parenting values to pretentious menus to political convictions, this novel reveals the dark side of genteel society and asks what each of us would do in the face of unimaginable tragedy.From the Hardcover edition.
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bthegood
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Pickpick

Two brothers and their wives (Babette/Serge, Claire/Paul) meet for dinner to discuss their sons . It is violent, disturbing and a dark look at human behavior/motives/nature v nurture. The story goes in an unpredictable direction (at least for me). Overall, it was well written and kept me turning the pages to see where it would lead.
First book for July #BookSpinBingo
Make a great day everyone 😊

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dabbe
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Pickpick

I can't recall a time where I finished a book in which I disliked all of the characters, especially the 1st-person unreliable narrator. The slow burner of a story at the beginning but then a rapid pick-up and unbelievable plot twist towards the end, kept me turning those pages. I got off the rollercoaster ride feeling unnerved, voyeuristic, and nauseous. It's a pick because I'll be wondering about this one (especially the ending) for a while.

IMASLOWREADER i know what you mean…i disliked all the characters as well…just horrible ppl 10mo
dabbe @IMASLOWREADER Yes! 🤩 10mo
jdiehr I just picked this up from Dollar Tree 😄 10mo
See All 6 Comments
TheBookgeekFrau One of The most bizarre books I've ever read, and surprisingly, really enjoyed. 10mo
dabbe @jdiehr I can't wait to read what you think of it! My mind is still processing! 🤩 10mo
76 likes6 comments
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jen_hayes7
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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This is one of those books where you pretty much hate every character. #lennox #catsoflitsy

RaeLovesToRead Ha, yeah. I hated this book, but I love your kitty!! 🥰 11mo
jen_hayes7 @RaeLovesToRead I didn‘t enjoy this either! The cat cuddles definitely helped me push through it. 😹 11mo
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 10mo
20 likes3 comments
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fictionaddictbooks
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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15 likes1 stack add
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fictionaddictbooks
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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"We were going out to dinner. I won't say which restaurant, because next time it might be full of people who've come to see whether were there." - The Dinner, Koch Herman

#firstlinefriday

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Amor4Libros
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Pickpick

Finished this a few days ago and I‘m still thinking about it. It had great twists that I did not see coming. 5⭐️

BkClubCare I only recall it being extremely intense. 2y
Amor4Libros @BkClubCare It was! The beginning was a little slow but then it got VERY intense. 2y
23 likes2 comments
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Amor4Libros
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Started this today and although not much has happened yet I find myself thinking about getting back to the book ASAP when I am not reading it.

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DeeBall
The Dinner | Herman Koch
Panpan

Just not a fan. Blah characters, blah story.

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Cortg
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Pickpick

#pop22 ~ a book with cutlery on the table
I‘ve heard a lot of mixed reviews and it does start out slow. I kept thinking ‘is this dinner going to be overanalyzed throughout the entire book?‘ But then, things started picking up and I found my self more and more intrigued about the Michel incident, things began getting dark and the end?! I did not see that coming! Whew. A lot to process and think on. This would make a great book discussion.

Megabooks Great review! I‘ve had this on my TBR for years and have never gotten to it. 2y
BarbaraBB Great choice. I enjoyed this one too. 2y
TheLudicReader It's definitely worth sticking with. 2y
See All 6 Comments
Cinfhen Yes…deplorable people but delicious 2y
KarenUK My bookclub did this years ago and it‘s still one of our best discussions! 2y
Cortg @KarenUK I bet! I‘m still thinking about it 😀 2y
48 likes6 comments
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MidnightBookGirl
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Pickpick

This is my second time through with this book- both times for a book club, go figure. While the characters and subject matter are all terrible, it makes for a fascinating read, and no doubt the discussion will be awesome too.
#Scarathlon #TeamSlaughter @Clwojick
#Spookoween @TheSpineView
#31by31 @Catsandbooks 2/31 hours
#PromptMaze @TheAromaofBooks
#PointsAThon @dieareader @GHABI4ROSES
#ReadLikeHellaThon

MrsMalaprop Great book. I did it for book club too. 2y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2y
TheSpineView Fantastic 2y
See All 6 Comments
Catsandbooks Yay 🎃 2y
Clwojick Awesome job! 2y
DieAReader 🎉🎉🎉 2y
54 likes1 stack add6 comments
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WellReadCatLady
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Pickpick

Went in a weird direction half way through, but worth finishing up.

Cathythoughts I enjoyed the read a few years back 👍🏻 3y
22 likes1 comment
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IndoorDame
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Pickpick

This was a soft pick for me. I enjoyed the attention to detail, the moral ambiguity, and the glimpses into the different relationships offered. But I found myself wishing that the plot was a bit more linear and more urgent, and that the characters had more growth by the end of the book. #WinterGames2021 #TeamGameSleighers @StayCurious

Cathythoughts We read this for Bookclub years ago. I really enjoyed it at the time 3y
50 likes1 comment
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yoavshai
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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#BookCoverChallenge
Day 122.
Here I will note 365 books (or as many as I will have before I get tired) that have shaped my taste in literature. No explanations, no reviews. Just the cover of the book.
I do not challenge anyone. You are all welcome to take part.

3 likes1 stack add
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Booksandtea23
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Booksandtea23
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Quote from “The Dinner” by #hermankoch

Nute Yes! Happiness does not have to be validated! 3y
6 likes1 comment
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Pinta
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Mehso-so

So much nastiness. Two couples meet over dinner in Amsterdam to discuss teenage sons‘ involvement in a violent crime. Revelations from unreliable narrator make the reader keep recalibrating, which makes for an interesting read. But the main confrontation—the question of sons‘ guilt & pathology—is never explored outside the group, which felt like a cop out. Parental protection, entitlement, class, social media, heredity & mental health. Trans 2012

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Eggs
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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There are a few characters in the story who ‘accidentally on purpose‘ are implicated...it‘s a strange plot but good. But don‘t want to use spoilers!
#murders #maycharacters @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

TheLudicReader I liked this one too....but translations are almost always problematic for me and this was no exception. Have you seen the movie? 4y
Eggs @TheLudicReader no I should..book was mystifying 4y
TheLudicReader @Eggs , I haven‘t seen the movie myself, not sure if it‘s good or not. 🤷‍♀️ 4y
51 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Tracey3
The Dinner | Herman Koch
Pickpick

12/26/2020 Another book that I could not put down. So much suspense, so much intrigue, and ALL of it unfolding over the course (or shall I say, coursES) of a dinner. What seems to be two couples meeting to enjoy a meal together becomes so much more when you realize (not until the end, of course) what is really being discussed and what is really at stake.

Buechersuechtling This was my first Herman Koch and I loved it. But I found out that the author‘s topics and writing style sometimes needs getting used to. 4y
4 likes1 comment
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Jgacreations
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Mehso-so

Not loving this one. But i figured I‘d finish it anyway.

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sisilia
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Panpan

1⭐️ The worst book I read this year! This was recommended to me by a friend, and I waited for > 6 months after I placed a hold with the library. Well, this is just a story about psychotic, childish parents with bad parenting, executed badly 😤 What a waste of time!

BarbaraBB Highly overrated indeed! 4y
Anna40 Oh, I couldn't agree more! 4y
51 likes3 comments
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Nicki_K
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Panpan

This book was added to my TBR when I came across it in a list of must reads. It's marketed as a phenomenal thriller of the year....did I read the same book?! Either that or it went way over my head. I didn't like any part of it, the characters, the disregard the boys and the parents had for the victim....I kept reading it hoping it would get better...but it wasn't my cup of tea. #hermankoch #thedinner #tea_sipping_bookworm #bookstagram #bookqueen

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amyf0x
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Pickpick

Over dinner at an upscale restaurant in Amsterdam with his wife, brother and sister-in-law, the narrator reveals how their sons‘ ghastly acts might have terrible repercussions.

Read July 29 - August 4
Rated 4/5 ⭐️
Book 31/60

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Mlfrey2
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Almost done with this book and I love it. Will probably watch the movie when I‘m done.

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KadeLexical
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Pickpick

What neurological illness did Paul have???

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KristenDuck
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Mehso-so

The Dinner involves two couples who go to dinner to discuss an “incident” involving their sons. They killed a homeless woman, now how can these parents protect their children?

The narrator is one of the fathers, Paul, and honestly I think he was unstable. I would love some feedback from anyone else who read this book, but I do not really recommend it to anyone.

No likable characters, no twist, and some of it was on the boring side.

Lesanne I tried to read it a few years ago but as you said, the characters were unlikable and I found it boring so I bailed. 5y
KristenDuck @Lesanne I know! I couldn‘t relate to anyone! 5y
MoonWitch94 I bailed on this one. The parents were so dysfunctional. I cannot stand these type of parents in the real world ((former educator here 🙋🏻‍♀️)) so why would I enjoy reading about them for fun? 😂 5y
See All 7 Comments
jb72 The parents were way to nonchalant about the murder so of course the boys were bad too. I read it some time ago and I think I only gave it two stars. None of the characters are likable. 5y
bookishbitch I hated everyone in this book. 5y
janeycanuck Don‘t watch the movie. It‘s awful. 5y
92 likes7 comments
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KristenDuck
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Hello Littens! Today is the last day if you were playing along for the #27Hours7Days Challenge!

I made it to 27 hours! Been reading and listening to my audiobooks almost nonstop since yesterday to make it!!

1. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abby Waxman 90%
2. Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King FINISHED
3. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling 45%
4 All Dressed In White by Mary Higgins Clark FINISHED
5 The Dinner by Herman Koch 40%

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RenePenn
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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I haven‘t been all that interested in reading this one because of the reviews but it was available in audio format so I decided to go for it.

19 likes1 stack add
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kitteh_reads
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Mehso-so

This was so dysfunctional!!! So Paul is the narrator of this book and he's set to meet up with his brother and sister in law for dinner with his wife. They are meeting about their children and their harassment and murder of a homeless woman. The heartless attitude to the homeless was jarring. There was large sense of entitlement. Your opinions of these characters will be completely different from start to finish.

TrishB I really disliked most of the people in this book! 5y
kitteh_reads They were terrible people!! It was incredible the way they tried to justify the homeless woman's death 😣 5y
6 likes2 comments
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JulietReads
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Pickpick

👍The ending was not what I expected. Lol.

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Qpri
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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A nice fun book for a rainy day like today :)

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suzie.reads
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Mehso-so

I liked the idea of the story and it was an okay read I just couldn't stand the main character Paul and it ruined it for me 😏
#mmdchallenge a book in translation #ReadingEurope2020 Holland (3rd county) #murder2020 (book 2)

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imabusybee
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Late night reading. #readingwhatiown

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Cathythoughts
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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#MOvember #Crave Craving crayfish anyone 🙃( is this a crayfish🤔) ... I saw his new book The Ditch in the bookshop. I wonder if it‘s any good ..
We read The Dinner for Bookclub a few years back 👍. I never did finish The Swimming Pool book , must go back to it.

Cinfhen Ha!! I liked Swimming Pool more than The Dinner. I think Koch is a very polarizing author 5y
merelybookish Pretty sure that's a lobster. Which is yum! 😀 5y
Cathythoughts @Cinfhen yes I think he is too. I would like to finish the Swimming Pool one 5y
See All 18 Comments
Cathythoughts @merelybookish I‘ve never had a lobster 🤷🏼‍♀️ & my Mother loved them. I need to put this on my bucket list 😁 5y
Cinfhen Ha @merelybookish it is a lobster 🦞 emoji agrees 5y
merelybookish @Cathythoughts You do! I grew up where lobsters are fished! I love a good lobster roll! 😋 5y
erzascarletbookgasm It‘s a lobster! I love them steamed! Haven‘t tried a crayfish though. @Cinfhen I like the Swimming Pool more than this book too. I have The Ditch stacked. 5y
Cinfhen The Ditch sounds good!!! I wonder what @BarbaraBB thinks?!?? 5y
batsy @Cathythoughts @merelybookish I've tried it like maybe once and it was divine 🦞 I've always wanted to try a lobster roll, that's going on my bucket list 😁 5y
BarbaraBB I did like The Dinner but afterwards all books by Koch did seem a bit the same to me. All these unlikable characters. I haven‘t read The Ditch though. It‘s supposed to be one of his better ones - according to Dutch press. (edited) 5y
Cathythoughts @BarbaraBB I think I‘ll stack the Ditch 👍 5y
ljuliel The Swimming Pool was maybe the oddest book “ sensation” I‘ve had. I highly disliked the main character and felt, the whole book, like a grey cloud was hanging overhead and something really bad was gonna happen. Yet, I kept reading because I needed to find out what happened. I guess you‘d call that good writing, if you can keep the reader turning pages to see how it ends. I‘ve been meaning to try The Dinner. 5y
Cathythoughts @ljuliel yes! I think he‘s a good writer. I must try the new one 5y
ljuliel I‘ll have to hunt it up and try it. Thank you @Cathythoughts 5y
ChasingOm I didn‘t realize he had a new one! I‘ll stack that too. Did anyone read 5y
Cathythoughts @ChasingOm @ljuliel I did read Dear Mr. M & I couldn‘t put it down 👍👍.... I‘m remembering now 5y
TorieStorieS Dear Mr. M is my favorite of his- I liked it more than The Dinner and more than The Ditch! 5y
Cathythoughts @TorieStorieS interesting ! I‘ve yet to read The Ditch. I‘ll keep you posted 😁 5y
55 likes18 comments
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TheLudicReader
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Mehso-so

Mixed feelings about this generally well-reviewed novel about a couple of Dutch brothers, Serge, who is running to be Prime Minister, and Paul, a school teacher, and their wives. Over several courses at a fancy restaurant, Paul unravels the story of his acrimonious relationship with Serge, and also unspools the story of why they are gathered on this night. No question, it would make a great book club pick. Anyone seen the movie?

charl08 Not seen the film, but the book was really good at hitting my buttons. 5y
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Come-read-with-me
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Mehso-so

I am really perplexed about my reaction to this book. The characters were unpalatable, the premise utterly horrifying, and the outcome jolting. However, the author crafted the conversations well and did a great job of creating two families that were equally despicable. I was hoping for a dark, taut thriller and wound up with less engaging version of “My Dinner with Andre.” With all that being said, I‘d read it again. How weird is that?

BarbaraBB Excellent review. I know what you mean. 5y
Come-read-with-me @BarbaraBB Thanks. Have you read of his other books? If so, thoughts?😀 5y
BarbaraBB I have read this one too. I think he is a master in creating unlikable characters but I am not sure how long it will stay interesting for his readers! 5y
15 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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erzascarletbookgasm
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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I liked this absorbing and discomforting read. I‘ve also enjoyed Koch‘s other book, Summer House With Swimming Pool. Koch seems to be very good in coming up with unsavoury and detestable characters.
#WanderingJune #Amsterdam

Thanks for a month of ‘around the world‘ in books! 😘😘

Cinfhen Thanks for joining us❣️💋and I agree, Koch writes really detestable characters 5y
JenReadsAlot I just bought his new book The Ditch! Hoping it's good! 5y
BarbaraBB Detestable is the right word! Thank you for playing 💜 (edited) 5y
erzascarletbookgasm @JenReadsAlot I have that one stacked! Look forward to your review when you get to it. 🙂 5y
63 likes1 stack add4 comments
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EmilieGR
The Dinner | Herman Koch
Mehso-so

Predictable

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RiaWritten
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Pickpick

Definitely one to check out! I loved it but dang was it intense. Only $1.99 today!

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erzascarletbookgasm
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Two couples went to a fancy restaurant for dinner. When the pretentious food is consumed and the small talk is over, the conversation turns to their teenage sons. About the ‘bad‘ things the boys have done. And how far the four of them will go to protect their own children and themselves from the consequences of their actions.
I enjoyed this book that raises some moral questions.
#MayMovieMagic #HowFarIllGo

squirrelbrain Clever! 👍 6y
Cinfhen Ohhh!!! Well played!! Glad that cold isn‘t messing with your brain 🧠💚Hope you‘re feeling better today!!! 6y
RohitSawant Excellent pick! 6y
gradcat Great pick for the prompt, but I hated this book! I think the “moral dilemma” and its solution were just too questionable for me. (edited) 6y
88 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Lesley1
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Mehso-so

This book does not get great reviews in general. I actually didn‘t think it was horrible. It was short so it wasn‘t like it dragged on and on. I was never bored. I agree that everyone in the book is unlikeable but it actually didn‘t bother me that much. It was an interesting story but probably not going to be a lot of people‘s favorite. 3/5 stars.

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TheRiehlDeal
The Dinner | Herman Koch
Mehso-so

I was reading this book on and off, so I can't say I really cared for it. And the plot was a bit confusing; like, I'm not sure what the story was really about. All in all, I would just skip this book if you have not read it.

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Boooooks
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Pickpick

Both 3/5, oh my god I hated every single character it the dinner and I know that‘s not the point of the book but still I kept waiting for just one person to root for ahh this book was crazy. And I liked the idea of the surface breaks but I kept finding myself being like “nope bad decision main character” on every page! #booked2019 @Cinfhen @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaraTheBibliophage

Cinfhen I agree, the characters in The Dinner were SO awful! I disliked that book, it was hard to connect to anyone in the pages 6y
15 likes1 comment
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SReed151
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Panpan

Terrible. Wildly implausible, poorly paced, difficult to follow, and badly translated. Just a huge disappointment. I‘m so bummed I assigned it to my class.

StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Oh good. You felt the same. 😆 I hated all the characters. But it could inspire some good discussion. 6y
TheBookgeekFrau This was the most bizarre books, but I liked it in some weird way 😄 6y
CouronneDhiver I liked this one a lot... but it‘s not for someone who needs to connect to a redeemable quality in a character. They‘re all jerks. Lol 6y
See All 7 Comments
SReed151 I don‘t need to like the characters. I need the plot to make sense. 6y
DebbieGrillo What grade/level? Are they still reading it? Give them permission to abandon it! Let them read what they want to read. 6y
SReed151 @DebbieGrillo I‘m a college professor. 😊 6y
wordzie ❤ the review 6y
23 likes7 comments
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gradcat
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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1. Such a bunch of abject, cruel protagonists...it‘s just not my thing! 😬 📖
2. Eat at home 🏡 🥪
3. The worst, and the most typical: assuming a slightly overweight woman is pregnant 🤰! In my defense, I was young & dumb, plus I learned a lesson: I will never again ask a woman if she is pregnant. If she wants me to know, she‘ll tell me.
4. Vanilla—love it! 🍦
5. Blue Blacktop, or Blue Infinite, or Blue Infinite Blacktop 😂

MommyOfTwo OMG my grandpa asked me over the summer if I was expecting, I said no, so he says you‘ve put on wait then, no actually I‘ve list 10 pounds 🤦‍♀️ I think it was probably the baggy shirt I was wearing lol 6y
gradcat See what I mean? For me it‘s that feeling of mortification because not only are you embarrassed, but you may have hurt someone‘s feelings! 😞 6y
71 likes2 comments
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rybrary
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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Mehso-so

Book 2 of 2019. I find it hard to judge books objectively when the characters are all terrible people, and such is the case with The Dinner. Our narrator is one of the most deranged characters I've ever had the pleasure (?) of reading and it made for a quick, twisty, shocking little book.

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LanieFitz
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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What do you do when you have a golf outing with the extended family? Bring a book of course...

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NataliePatalie
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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I'm also reading The Dinner. About halfway through it now. I'm not sure how much I like it yet, but I DO know I'm not a fan of our friend Paul. I'm planning to watch the movie when I'm finished.
@Blueberry

Blueberry My friend read this one. She wanted to do it for our movie/book club. 6y
NataliePatalie @Blueberry some parts are kind of tedious but there's some juicy bits too. 6y
12 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Dragon
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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I‘m a very eclectic reader so my 10 would be 1. JK Rowling 2. Agatha Christie 3. Eloisa James 4. Robert Parker 5. Mary Stewart 6. Antonia Fraser 7. John Wyndham 8. Robert Heinlein 9. Charles Dickens 10. Jane Austen #dinnerparty

Krisjericho Solid picks! 6y
Dragon Thanks @Krisjericho 👍😀🐉 6y
Crazeedi Excellent! 6y
See All 8 Comments
Dragon Thanks 🙏 @Crazeedi 😀🐉 6y
rubyslippersreads Mary Stewart is a great pick! 6y
Dragon Thanks @rubyslippersreads when I was a teenager I read almost all of her romantic suspense novels. 😀💕 6y
Dragon Thanks @Crazeedi 👍😀🐉 6y
43 likes8 comments
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madamereadsalot1
The Dinner | Herman Koch
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1. Neil Gaiman. 2. Joe Hill. 3. Stephen King. 4. Margaret Atwood. 5. Terry Pratchett. 6. Douglas Adams. 7. Kurt Vonnegut. 8. J.K. Rowling. 9. Shirley Jackson. 10. Daphne Du Maurier.

#dinnerparty @Krisjericho

Krisjericho I would love to come to that party! 6y
rubyslippersreads Daphne du Maurier is a great choice! 6y
15 likes2 comments