There's been a lot of buzz about THE DINNER. It may be one of the most talked about books this year, possibly one of the most polarizing, and definitely one for book clubs. From the library staff: one thumbs up, one thumbs down.
"Already a runaway hit throughout Europe, boasting more than a million copies sold, Koch's sixth novel arrives stateside, giving readers here a chance to mull over some rather meaty moral quandaries. But not so fast. First, Koch has a few false paths to lead us down. The story starts off casually and unassumingly with a dinner between two brothers, one running for prime minister of the Netherlands, along with their wives at one of Amsterdam's finest establishments. The other brother, as narrator, sharply ridicules every absurd element of the night to great effect. But just as everything settles in, Koch pivots, and these pointed laughs quickly turn to discussion about their teenage boys and something they've done. And it's at this point when readers will feel two distinct ideologies forming and will face the novel's vital question: which position to side with?...."
~ Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.
3 comments:
Phantom by Jo Nesbo
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
-jaclyn
"The Dead and Buried" by Kim Harrington
This one's a YA book about a girl who moves into a house haunted by the teen who died there 6 months prior. It is a pretty typical murder mystery with ghosts, but I liked it. The twist I think that made it different and perhaps more enjoyable, is that the girl who died was not at all a likable person. Usually we sympathize with the victim, and want to see their death avenged. She is such a terrible person, that I didn't feel any pity for her. But I enjoyed the story just the same, and appreciated many other characters.
Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
About a bipolar man recently released from a psychiatric facility, to the care of his parents. This book had a decent story, but I was a little confused by the writing style. It was first person, but incredibly simplistic. As is written by a child, though the narrator was in his 30's. I'm not sure if that was just the authors style, or his way of conveying that the narrator suffered from bipolar disorder. If this is the case, it's a bit offensive. Bipolar disorder is a psychiatric condition, not a learning disability or developmental delay. That aside, it was an easy and relatively enjoyable read. Though this is one of the very few cases in which I liked the movie better.
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