4.5 ⭐️’s from me

Goodreads Summary: “An internationally bestselling phenomenon: the darkly suspenseful, highly controversial tale of two families struggling to make the hardest decision of their lives — all over the course of one meal.

It’s a summer’s evening in Amsterdam, and two couples meet at a fashionable restaurant for dinner. Between mouthfuls of food and over the polite scrapings of cutlery, the conversation remains a gentle hum of polite discourse — the banality of work, the triviality of the holidays. But behind the empty words, terrible things need to be said, and with every forced smile and every new course, the knives are being sharpened.

Each couple has a fifteen-year-old son. The two boys are united by their accountability for a single horrific act; an act that has triggered a police investigation and shattered the comfortable, insulated worlds of their families. As the dinner reaches its culinary climax, the conversation finally touches on their children. As civility and friendship disintegrate, each couple show just how far they are prepared to go to protect those they love.

Tautly written, incredibly gripping, and told by an unforgettable narrator, The Dinner promises to be the topic of countless dinner party debates. Skewering everything from parenting values to pretentious menus to political convictions, this novel reveals the dark side of genteel society and asks what each of us would do in the face of unimaginable tragedy.”

My Review:

This is a delectably sinister story of two couples forced to deal with the acts of their sons – who happen to be cousins. Be prepared to sit down with this novel as if you were going out to a fancy restaurant – you will devour it in one sitting. The progression of this novel is perfectly split into sections which are labeled the courses of a meal; a split that seems to echo the progression of tension in the story.

I also loved the narration of this novel by one of the fathers, Paul. At the beginning this seems to be a normal family with their inevitable bickering and jealous, but as the meal progresses the dysfunction runs so much deeper than that. Paul grows from a seemingly normal father to one with increasingly frightening thoughts, just over the course of a meal. His narration explores the struggles of marriage, mental health, and above all the roles of a parent. Somehow we are also able to observe the jealousy of siblings, particularly when it comes to one’s economic standing. How big can those differences be? Who is right? You will have to decide.

Koch also vividly creates the restaurant atmosphere in the reader’s mind. It is not only what is said, but also Paul’s observations of the waiting staff, patrons, and his own family members – a glance here or there, a hand out of place. I felt as if I was eating at the table myself. It is no wonder that this will soon be a movie.

This is a dark and disquieting read, but I definitely recommend it. The movie edition of the book is out in paperback today!

**I received my copy via Blogging For Books in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you to the author and publisher for this opportunity.**

Book Review: Black Water Lilies by Michel Bussi

3 ⭐️’s from me

Goodreads Summary: “Giverny, France. During the day, the town is the home of the famous artist Claude Monet and the gardens where he painted his Water Lilies. But once the tourists have gone, there is a darker side to the peaceful French village.
This is the story of thirteen days that begin with one murder and end with another. Jérôme Morval, a man whose passion for art was matched only by his passion for women, has been found dead in the stream that runs through the gardens. In his pocket is a postcard of Monet’s Water Lilies with the words: Eleven years old. Happy Birthday.

Entangled in the mystery are three women: a young painting prodigy, the seductive village schoolteacher, and an old widow who watches over the village from a mill by the stream. All three of them share a secret. But what do they know about the discovery of Jérôme Morval’s corpse? And what is the connection to the mysterious, rumored painting of Black Water Lilies?”

My Review:

Book Review: Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

Goodreads Summary:

“In a country teetering on the brink of civil war, two young people meet—sensual, fiercely independent Nadia and gentle, restrained Saeed. They embark on a furtive love affair and are soon cloistered in a premature intimacy by the unrest roiling their city. When it explodes, turning familiar streets into a patchwork of checkpoints and bomb blasts, they begin to hear whispers about doors—doors that can whisk people far away, if perilously and for a price. As the violence escalates, Nadia and Saeed decide that they no longer have a choice. Leaving their homeland and their old lives behind, they find a door and step through.

Exit West follows these characters as they emerge into an alien and uncertain future, struggling to hold on to each other, to their past, to the very sense of who they are. Profoundly intimate and powerfully inventive, it tells an unforgettable story of love, loyalty, and courage that is both completely of our time and for all time.”

Book Review: The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

Goodreads Summary: “Fast-paced and addictive, THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR announces a major new talent in thriller writing.

You never know what’s happening on the other side of the wall.

Your neighbour told you that she didn’t want your six-month-old daughter at the dinner party. Nothing personal, she just couldn’t stand her crying.

Your husband said it would be fine. After all, you only live next door. You’ll have the baby monitor and you’ll take it in turns to go back every half hour.

Your daughter was sleeping when you checked on her last. But now, as you race up the stairs in your deathly quiet house, your worst fears are realized. She’s gone.

You’ve never had to call the police before. But now they’re in your home, and who knows what they’ll find there.

What would you be capable of, when pushed past your limit?”

I picked this up after a recommendation from a friend. However, I was unimpressed. I did like the pace of the novel and it is definitely an easy read. But, the characters did not blow me away. All characters seemed too dramatic for me and I couldn’t feel any connection to any of them. The twists that solve the mystery of this novel are good, but again a little unrealistic and I would have enjoyed a little more suspense perhaps. This would be an each mystery to read on a beach vacation, but not a must buy in my opinion. It really left me feeling, “Meh?”

3 Stars from Me.

Last weekend, I took a mini shopping adventure and decided to visit the new amazonbooks outside of Boston. Although I definitely believe we should continue to support our local bookstores, I wanted to check-it out.

Dead Letters by Caite Dolan-Leach

Goodreads Summary: “A missing woman leads her twin sister on a twisted scavenger hunt in this clever debut novel of suspense for readers of Luckiest Girl Alive and Reconstructing Amelia.
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Ava Antipova has her reasons for running away: a failing family vineyard, a romantic betrayal, a mercurial sister, an absent father, a mother slipping into dementia. In Paris, Ava renounces her terribly practical undergraduate degree, acquires a French boyfriend and a taste for much better wine, and erases her past. Two years later, she must return to upstate New York. Her twin sister, Zelda, is dead.

An excellent debut novel from Dolan-Leach. She uses the backdrop of the unique relationship of identical twins to write her mystery. You will not like the characters – they are at times detestable, but somehow in this novel I found that all the more intriguing. Everyone is damaged in some way and that is wonderfully teased out to show us each character’s role and motivation in this dark mystery. The tantalizing clues that the author leaves you through-out the book, only for you to realize it many chapters later, are lovely surprises. I found myself flipping back to make sure I hadn’t missed something else. I would highly recommend this novel.

4.5 stars from me. 

Book Review: The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel

Goodreads Summary: “Roanoke girls never last long around here. In the end, we either run or we die.”
After her mother’s suicide, fifteen year-old Lane Roanoke came to live with her grandparents and fireball cousin, Allegra, on their vast estate in rural Kansas. Lane knew little of her mother’s mysterious family, but she quickly embraced life as one of the rich and beautiful Roanoke girls. But when she discovered the dark truth at the heart of the family, she ran fast and far away.

Published today! This is definitely an intriguing read. Warning – this book may be traumatic for some.

Following my trend of reading books centered around family secrets, the Roanoke Family is no exception. You are met with a family mystery – one that the main character, Lane, is determined to solve. But, in order to do so she must face the truth head-on. And…it’s creepy, irksome even.

Engel’s portrayal of Lane is intriguing. I was hooked by the subtle teases of the truth – how it seeps out.  I found myself hoping that the truth would be different. I particularly liked the clues that Lane follows and the imagery used throughout her search for the truth. Engel spun an intricate web of characters that repeated fail each other. Even those who suspect the truth are reluctant to seek it out. The only let down for me was the way the truth was finally revealed – it was anti-climatic in a way. Definitely a good read though.

4 stars from me.

**I received my copy via Blogging For Books in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you to the author and publisher for this opportunity.**

The Mothers by Brit Bennett

Goodreads Summary: “A dazzling debut novel from an exciting new voice, The Mothers is a surprising story about young love, a big secret in a small community—and the things that ultimately haunt us most. Set within a contemporary black community in Southern California, Brit Bennett’s mesmerizing first novel is an emotionally perceptive story about community, love, and ambition. It begins with a secret.
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Similar to Everything I Never Told You,  this book explores the ramifications of keeping secrets and not asking for help. However, in this case I found myself very annoyed with the characters of this novel. In a church setting, Bennett explores how the gossipy nature of a close knit society can force individuals to keep secrets that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

Although race is touched on in this novel, it is not the main topic. Rather race is seamlessly integrated with the topic of abortion. Bennett aptly explores all viewpoints on abortion – the religious side, the practical side of can a mother take care of her child, family support, money. A woman can be “unpregnant” – a particularly poignant term in this novel.

I did find some of the characterization lacking. I felt that we need more of the history behind the youth of the characters – although repeatedly touched-on, I feel as if there was more to be explored.
Bennett also employs the use of a chorus in this novel, but because it was not clearly delineated, e.g. italicized, it was a confusing switch. The chorus had the potential to add so much more to this novel – to be a perfect portrayal of the church’s role in this matter. But instead the chorus could have been removed altogether and we would be left with a better story. And perhaps a more climactic ending?

3 Stars from Me.