The Ditch by Herman Koch

Crown Publishing
Pub date: June 11, 2019
Translation copyright (Dutch) by Sam Garrett
Original copyright 2016 Netherlands
Genre: fiction
Rating: 3/5

I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley and Crown Publishing in exchange for an unbiased review.

Having read “The Dinner” by Herman Koch, I was interested in reading this book. Unlike “The Dinner” which was more of a psychological thriller, this novel was less than thrilling. The writing perspective seems similar using an unreliable narrator whose internal musings become distracting. I kept waiting for his distracting, paranoid thoughts to be resolved but they just seemed to get muddied down with more confusion.

As this story unfolds, Robert Walker, the mayor of Amsterdam, begins to describe his wife, “Sylvia” and daughter, “Diana” which are not their real names. Robert Walker cherishes his preconceived notions and prejudices which seem to reinforce his overall paranoia. This staunch Dutchman is both condescending and self deprecating which further complicates his reliability as a narrator. He feels the need to maintain secrecy regarding details related to his wife and country of origin which he mentions quite often throughout the book. Similarly, he would like to appear unbiased but makes obvious his extreme judgement of her cultural background.

Although he provides subtle inferences to her heritage, he never seems to fully embrace his “foreign” spouse. Robert attributes his current marital concerns to his wife’s country of origin. He begins to unravel his suspicions that Sylvia is having an affair with Alderman Maarten van Hoogstraten, a colleague he despises. He exhausts himself in attempts to discover the “truth” spending time and attention to minute observations. Only a series of unfortunate events could force him to surrender his internal ruminations as a method of self preservation.

Ultimately, this novel has several disturbing subplots involving his parents and events from his past. In some of the situations, the reader is left to ponder Robert’s contribution to the consequences. It would be difficult to provide a spoiler to this book as the narrator keeps too much of his story private. I wanted to enjoy this story more than I did. The writing style keeps you simultaneously attentive and skeptical but disappointed when the ending lacks a satisfying resolution.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2717054022

https://bookwormreviewblog.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-ditch-by-herman-koch.html?m=1

https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-ditch-by-herman-koch

Thank you very much NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the ARC of The Ditch.

I had read Herman Koch's first book, The Dinner, for a book club read. I actually had to read it twice because the first time I was not in the right state of mind. First time I read it, I hated it, the 2nd time, I enjoyed it much more.

The Ditch I liked. It was different and at times, I actually was laughing at the main character because he was so over the top. He suspects his wife is having an affair and nearly manages to destroy himself and his marriage.

This book will not be for everyone. This is not a straight line book where you go from point A to point B, so if that is your style, this is not the book for you . Its more of an point A to A1 then maybe A3 sort of book.

Love the book or hate it, you won't be able to deny how gifted of a writer Koch truly is!

This author is such a wonderful writer that even books with hardly any interest are good. Wait, what? Yes, this is well written but the story is boring.

The Ditch will not be for everyone. It is the story of a self-absorbed, narcissistic man who convinces himself that his wife is having an affair with a dull alderman. Koch is a masterful writer that creates a character that is both annoying and sympathetic, but at times the story wanders into tiringly tangential territory. The story is seeded with some interesting nuggets, like the joint plans of the protagonist's parents and the mysterious bird that begins to visit the family garden. I would recommend this for readers who enjoy international, character-driven fiction; however, if you are a reader who likes to like the protagonist, or you enjoy a very linear story, this might not be the book for you.

I never know what to expect when I read a Herman Koch book, so I was happy to get the opportunity to preview an advance copy of his latest book. The author did a wonderful job bringing the reader into the strange mind of the protagonist of this book. He was more likeable than some of the characters in Koch's other books, but one couldn't at all predict what he would do. The story was very stressful because there were many opportunities for things to go in a dark direction. I was intrigued by the book, but I couldn't understand why the narrator emphasized that he didn't want to disclose his wife's country of origin. I wasted a lot of energy on that. I can't wait for the book to be released so that I can discuss it with others and perhaps get some clarification of some things I didn't understand. Despite not understanding everything, the book was a compelling, complex read. I think Koch's fans will not be disappointed with this book.

The Ditch is yet another hit literacy novel by Herman Koch, author of The Dinner. Herman Koch writes with power, making the story painfully enjoyable and clever! This isn’t what I would call a “fast read” but it is not a book you’ll get lost in. I really enjoyed The Ditch! I absolutely recommend this book!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an arc copy of The Ditch in exchange for an honest review.

Another engaging literary novel by Herman Koch.I never rush through his books his writing bus so clever I enjoy each sentence.Highly recommend.#netgalley#crownpublishers

This was another hit from the author. This was an interesting and enjoyable read. As with his other books, this was not a fast read but was a fascinating well written work. A book that I would recommmend to all.