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j_schley's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
If you enjoy unreliable narrators, moral ambiguity, and questions of ethics, this is absolutely a story you’ll want to pick up. It’s grimy and gritty and dark but provokes many questions about the mercurial nature of human morality and the tenuous bonds of dysfunctional families.
I also don’t advise reading this book while eating, despite its innocuous title.
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Classism
mrsmishler's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism
jkar7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism
floorvm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Ik had gehoopt dat de gerechten interessant zouden zijn vanwege het dure restaurant maar dat waren ze niet. Dat is niet Koch zn fout, ik wilde het gewoon even zeggen.
Beetje jammer van t n-woord maar zou ook de bedoeling kunnen zijn(?)
Graphic: Violence and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Racial slurs
domenicar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
First of all, I have never seen more racial slurs in one book. I am not sure whether it was to highlight the awfulness of the characters or the author's edginess. All in all, I feel like the point could have been made without them and they made me enjoy the book less.
I also briefly considered DNF'ing this book, because it was painfully slow-paced. It was meandering for ages to finally arrive at reveals that were mostly fairly easy to guess and/or anti-climactic, especially towards the end.
This is the first book I've read from Herman Koch and despite everything, I generally liked his writing style and would probably try another book of his in the future.
Graphic: Racial slurs, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Moderate: Racism
rogy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism
lilmollyjo0301's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Murder
emilyyyyyyyy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Moderate: Mental illness, Racial slurs, and Racism
hollymich's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness, Torture, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Classism