Scan barcode
A review by iggydoane
The Dinner by Herman Koch
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
2.5
Moderate: Ableism and Racism
A very well constructed book, but my rating/enjoyment was sufficiently hampered by the "reveal" that Paul has what for all intents and purposes appears to be Aspergers (an outdated term, but the exact wording used is that the syndrome is the surname of a German neurologist, so I see really no alternative) although in interviews he stated that he did not include a name because he knew it was a problematic description, but that asd was the original intent. ableism aside, for me this detracts from the narrative. I really enjoyed the structure of this book, love an unreliable narrator, could have done without the ableism.
The racism is largely used as a tool to sketch out the characters of Paul and company, but as with all racism written by white authors, it deserves scrutiny. The Lohman's adopted African child largely serves as a tool to highlight the moral failings of the characters, and ultimately it is inferred that his involvement with the Lohmans leads to his murder