Books, always, seem to defy expectations. Some are hyped to high heaven and never meet expectations; others surprise. Take the case of Herman Koch's The Dinner. The Dutch novel, a huge success in Europe, has found itself in the top ten on The New York Times Book Review's bestseller list for three weeks running.
Like the Times‘s own reviewer, Claire Messud, I had my doubts that the book would resonate with American readers. The novel, in short, covers a multi-course dinner at which a pair of brothers and their spouses meet to circuitously discuss a crime committed by their sons. One brother is a politician; the other - Paul Lohman, the narrator - is a former high school teacher retired for medical reasons. The crime is not as central to the plot as it might be in a crime novel or thriller, but does provide a crux which enables Koch to explore issues of European economic, political and social pretense. It struck me as a distinctly European - and Dutch - novel.