Summer House with Swimming Pool

Compulsive reading, all the more praiseworthy because the narrator is such a creepy, nasty piece of work. But that realisation doesn't hit you immediately, it grows with an alarming sense of disquiet as his voice, seemingly so reasonable, becomes more and more poisonous. Of course, some of the other guests at the villa aren't people you'd want to spend any time with either. In real life, that is. But this is Literature Land, and things are different there!

I finished this book. It was okay. I kept reading the book for the main character's thoughts about being a doctor and how he felt about his patients. The book is well written but lacks the zing of a good mystery. It says it is a novel and it is. I just expect more from Herman Koch.

Overall, this is a terrific read, even more enjoyable than "The Dinner." None of the characters could be called admirable, saving the young daughter, but that doesn't matter because the reader becomes engrossed by Koch's fine writing and carefully developed plot. The main character, a general practitioner, dislikes his patients, but enjoys the life he and his family are living. His ego is such that in his mind he's better than those he serves, and our GP has no qualms about using these same clients/patients to further his own ends. Finally, an incident occurs in which our doctor believes that one of his patients, a well-known actor, has committed a crime against his family. Our doctor arranges a situation in what he believes is a clever fashion in order to cause the actor's death. I couldn't put this book down, wanting to know what happened to our GP and his family. Not to give it away, but justice is done -- but in a fashion that will make you smile, as it turns out that the events our doctor believed occurred, weren't quite as they seemed.

Although I found this book repugnant at times, it is a good read and holds your interest. I certainly hope that doctors don't really feel about their patients the way that this man does. It is different. So many books today are so predictable that the stories are just boring.

Unsettling and uncomfortable. You have to finish this once you start -- it's both noxious and addicting. The characters are vivid, ugly, sexy, beguiling and boorish. Koch makes me think of Patricia Highsmith.

What an interesting point of view. A family mystery as seen through the eyes of a medical doctor. I always wonder how life unfolds through the eyes of a certain kind of doctor. The summer house and pool are the least of it. Sexy, dangerous, full of life. Captivating!

Mr. Koch's gifted ability to describe human thought processes, emotions, quirks and wills is superb. One wonders; do you have to be crazy to write that brilliant way, or are you crazy to read it as fast as you can...and, most of the time, understand, recognize or acknowledge many of the behaviors... Cynthia Escalante

Mr. Koch's gifted ability to describe human thought processes, emotions, quirks and wills is superb. One wonders; do you have to be crazy to write that brilliant way, or are you crazy to read it as fast as you can...and, most of the time, understand, recognize or acknowledge many of the behaviors... Cynthia Escalante

I like Mr. Koch's writing style. He never disappoints making the reader cringe at his cynical descriptions of characters and the choices they make. It is almost impossible to take a break because you cannot predict what is coming.
The ending was, as usual unexpected. Great job!

Herman Koch's genius is for showing us fully realized characters who live on the soft ground between repulsive and totally human. We find ourselves compulsively turning the pages. We cannot look away. He has captured the dark side of human nature caught in the underside of the culture. I loved The Dinner and now Summer House with Swimming Pool. If only he wrote a little faster.

I got this because someone billed it as the European Gone Girl, maybe something was lost in translation, to me it was a slow read, I plugged along thinking the author was building up for the mind blowing plot twist but that never really happened.

This is a quirky book that catches you attention immediately.I was pulled in to the way the story was written and the unique perspective of the main character. BUT. After a while it starts to get out of orbit and it's hard to understand the motivation of the main character.
I recommend this book as an unconventional story but it's hard to give it more than three stars, in my opinion

The book started well but I kept waiting for something interesting to happen and it never did and the last half of the book was dull and fairly pointless. I am surprised this book received as many positive reviews as it did.

Kind of introspective beyond the point of interesting. Main story line keeps your attention, but ending is disappointing. Leaves you feeling the author wrote the necessary number of pages so he just wrapped it up.

Pretty great book. I wish the main character were a little more pleasant but, he is definitely realistic. Koch's books always make you wonder what is going on inside others minds! I enjoyed the novel!

The first few chapters left me wondering what this book was about. However, as I kept reading I found myself being drawn deeper into the characters and the plot of the story. I am happy with the ending because it could have ended much differently based on the main character's actions.

I purchased this book after reading The Dinner, and continued to be pleased with Koch's writing. He has a rare ability to combine exquisite writing with extremely creepy characterization. Highly recommended.

A little "out there" and probably wouldn't recommend it. Just an example that proves parents can have as many mental issues as their children and probably should never have had kids in the first place. Almost depressing.

Very dark and disturbing, you have to work real hard to cheer for anybody. As a healthcare provider myself I am saddened to see how angry and miserable the protagonist is. Already downloads another from this author.