This novel takes place entirely in one evening during a family dinner. Books written like this are usually pretty fast-paced and enjoyable for that reason. The Dinner is no exception, and I bet you’ll breeze through it like I did.
The novel opens with narrator Paul Lohman arriving at a fancy restaurant with his wife, Claire. The couple plans to meet with Paul’s annoying, high-maintenance politician brother Serge and his wife Babette.
Both couples have 15-year-old sons who are best friends. Unfortunately, both teens recently committed a horrible, unspeakable crime that could land them in jail for the rest of their lives. The purpose of the dinner is to discuss how the matter should be handled, and for the couples to come to an agreement about their son’s futures.
The Dinner reminds me of when you slowly open gift-wrapping for the sake of savoring the moment, and for the impending surprise. Herman Koch reveals little by little to keep you guessing to the end.
The book is separated into several sections that correspond with the meals being served at the restaurant. The first portion of the novel is entitled “Aperitif,” followed by “Appetizer,” then “Main Course” and so on. The “meat” of the story is revealed during the Main Course section as expected, and the story concludes during “Dessert.”
There’s also a lot more going on in The Dinner than just the couples hashing out how they want to deal with their sons. For instance, Paul reveals how his neurological disease may pass down to his son genetically, and laments about how he feels partly responsible for his son’s crime. Paul’s a good narrator because he’s sarcastic and hilarious. His frustrations over dealing with his near-famous politician brother are also relatable and quite funny.
The violent crime in question involves social media, which is portrayed as dangerous and incriminating. Some pretty good points made and lessons learned in this novel.
The Dinner was wholly satisfying and its conclusion was perfect. The author challenges how far people are willing to go to protect their loved ones.
This book was made into a 2017 movie starring Richard Gere, Laura Linney, and others. It was decent, though of course not as good as the book (when is it ever?).
I’ve also read and reviewed Dear Mr. M by Herman Koch, but I wasn’t too crazy about it. Other books by Herman Koch include:
- Summer House with Swimming Pool (2014)
- Dear Mr. M (2016)
- The Ditch (2019)
Did you like this book? What did you think about it?
Last Updated on November 16, 2025 by Sarah Ann
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