Paul Lohman and his wife Claire meet Paul’s brother Serge, a prominent politician, for dinner at a high-end Amsterdam restaurant. As they progress through the fixed-price courses, the conversation pivots from strained pleasantries to a violent crime committed by their teenage sons. The boys' actions were captured on a security camera but they remain unidentified by the police. The four adults must decide whether to protect their children’s futures through silence or allow the legal consequences to proceed, exposing their own suppressed histories and prejudices in the process.
Readers interested in the psychological mechanisms of tribalism and family loyalty will find this narrative useful. It appeals to those who enjoy cynical social satire and the deconstruction of middle-class morality. The text provides a look at how parental instinct can override ethical standards and how far individuals will go to preserve their social standing. A reader exits the book with a dark perspective on the fragility of civilized behavior when confronted with a direct threat to the family unit.
Thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2009
- Language
- EN
