Reviews

The Waiter by Matias Faldbakken

toraelisek's review against another edition

5.0

Den boka her er bare utrolig kul. Faldbakken skriver godt, og er spesielt god med beskrivelser. Det var en del referanser jeg ikke kjente til, men syns fortsatt det var en glede å lese den. Folka som blir beskrevet er bare så merkelige, og du begynner å lure på hva de tenker på. Vil absolutt anbefale!

bestja01's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

It felt like the book equivalent of a Wes Anderson film- I could appreciate the craft, but I didn’t find the aesthetic or plot very attention-holding. 

sirisolh's review against another edition

3.0

We follow a waiter at a high-end restaurant in Oslo for a few days, and we see the world through his eyes and thoughts. We meet the guests and the colleagues, and I find it interesting to see how my impression of the various characters, including the main one, changes as more information is given - or as days go by. And day by day, the routines change due to new guests, their impulses, and the creation of new relations within the restaurant. It's "chaos" for the staff.

I enjoyed the book. It's easy to read, and it's a bit fun to follow someone else's thoughts and actions in a time of change.

tsola's review against another edition

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

catkeo11's review against another edition

mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

bkish's review against another edition

3.0

This is a very strange book to read and I do understand why many people disliked it gave it almost no *s. This is a translation from Norwegian by a writer who is an artist. I dont know anything about him and I would bet his art is Surreal. This book is Surreal. It really makes no sense. It is a tale about a few days at an upscale restaurant in Oslo told by a waiter. It appears to be a story about these regular diners known to this waiter. It is also about an interruption made by a woman who joins various groups dining at The Hills. And it is about this waiter whose name I forget who takes care of a child of a friend (Anna and Edgar) who has been left by her father and he the Waiter is responsible for her that day and night. This shows his kindness...

Judy

drix's review against another edition

4.0

Quirky, funny, weird and different.. not always perfect, and at parts even a little irritating, but still an exhilarating read and in a league of it's own! I'll be sure to read more of him in the months to come.

jojo99's review against another edition

lighthearted reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

goblinsd's review against another edition

challenging funny reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

There's very little plot in this book, and it's for the most part a window into this little universe -an old, refined restaurant in Oslo- seen through the eyes of it's neurotic, surreal, and frankly annoying, waiter. 
The book seems suspended in time and space, so I understand that it's not everybody's cup of tea, but I enjoyed reading something whose purpose wasn't to necessarely tell a story, but only to paint, with words, a vividly surreal vignette.

maureenmcc's review against another edition

2.0

I received an advance review copy of this book from Scout Press via a Goodreads giveaway. I can't say I cared for this book. It is so understated as to be stiflingly dull. There are a few interesting descriptive passages of the restaurant, the clientele, and the musings of the waiter, but 250 pages of musings did not do it for me.