During the course of one meal, two sets of parents meet to discuss something about their children. To quote the blurb on the front of the book: How far would you go to protect the ones you love?
“This particular restaurant is one where you have to call three months in advance—or six, or eight, don’t ask me. Personally, I’d never want to know three months in advance where I’m going to eat on any given evening, but apparently some people don’t mind. A few centuries from now, when historians want to know what kind of crazies people were at the start of the twenty-first century, all they’ll have to do is look at the computer files of the so-called “top” restaurants.”
― Herman Koch, The Dinner
First off, I have to say that I was pleased that this was a translated novel. Koch is from The Netherlands. My reading stats show that I read far too heavily from the USA and the UK.
This story is told from the perspective of one of the fathers. That already added a very interesting twist to the story, as we only see the other couple through his eyes. At the get go, the reader is already jaded. I really enjoy the unreliable narrator. It means I need to work a bit to get the full picture. The characters in here are unusual. I am not going to go more into it. If this book sounds interesting to you, I think you will enjoy the slow reveal. Although the premise is that these folks are here to discuss 'whatever it is' that their sons had done, it is actually a character study on the father. We slowly understand the child through the flashbacks he has over dinner.
The food. I suggest that you pick this up on a full tummy. Or, with a well-stocked kitchen. It makes you a bit hungry. Especially in the beginning. But having said that, I have to add my appreciation for the scathing commentary on the food.
“The first thing that struck you about Claire’s plate was its vast emptiness. Of course I’m well aware that, in the better restaurants, quality takes precedence over quantity, but there are voids and then there are voids. The void here, that part of the plate on which no food at all was present, had clearly been raised to a matter of principle.
It was as though the empty plate was challenging you to say something about it, to go to the open kitchen and demand an explanation. ‘You wouldn’t even dare!’ the plate said, and laughed in your face.”
It was as though the empty plate was challenging you to say something about it, to go to the open kitchen and demand an explanation. ‘You wouldn’t even dare!’ the plate said, and laughed in your face.”
― Herman Koch, The Dinner
Still on the topic of the food, the structure of the meals made a pleasant structure for the novel. By the time I got to the digestif, I needed some assistance digesting everything I had read.
The atmosphere was electric in places. It prevented me from taking the book slowly. I devoured this as though I were starving and it was the only meal I had been given - even if some places were 'distasteful'.
I did question why people would go to such an expensive restaurant, especially considering one of them was renowned, to discuss such a private matter. Had I been in that situation, I would have used the basement of my house - after I had installed soundproofing. Just saying.
I gave this 4 stars. It kept me well entertained and had me wondering what on earth was going on. (I probably would have known more had I read the back of the book. But these days the synopses are riddled with spoilers, so I prefer going in completely blind.) I would recommend this book for folks who like reading abut really twisted, unlikable characters.
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