The Frank And Claire Underwood of Amsterdam

Every single person in The Dinner, Herman Koch’s 300-page bottle episode of a psychological thriller, is just the absolute worst.

Set in Amsterdam (the book is translated from its original Dutch), The Dinner is about two couples who go to a fancy dinner together to discuss apressing matter involving their respective children. Paul Lohman, attending the evening’s festivities with his wife Claire, is a former teacher with a petulant attitude and an impatient streak, both of which he exercises freely againsthis brother Serge, who, along with his wife Babette, makes up the rest of the dinner party.Serge’s burgeoning candidacy for Netherlands prime minister is but one of many things about him that irks the shit out of Paul.