The Dinner by Herman Koch

"No, it was a very subtle something in her eyes, a shift invisible to the uninitiated, something between mockery and sudden earnest."

So this was the first book I read in 2020 and it proved an intriguing start to the year. It is dark and moody and at times perplexing - just the sort of thing that would keep any bookclub chatting.

I certainly wasn't expecting the violence inherent in the book but it makes for a high stakes scenario.

What Koch does capture rather brilliantly is sibling rivalry combined with the danger of a vast difference between rich and poor. 

Unfettered ex-pats can run rough shod over the local populace, but the question really becomes more about who should be afraid of whom?

At times melodramatic, this is nonetheless an interesting read that I would recommend. Just don't look to this for some light escapism, that is a dish this dinner doesn't serve.

4/5 - So glad I don't have kids to worry about.

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

"Richard was surprised when he heard the announcement that the federal government had declared a policy action to bring the rebels to order. Kainene was not."

I have to admit to being completely oblivious to this period of history. I was unfamiliar with Nigeria's history and I always admire a book that enlivens otherwise hidden periods of history to my sheltered world. I'd previously read Americanah  by the same author and enjoyed it immensely, so I was intrigued to explore her Bailey Women's Prize winning novel.

There are some harrowing scenes in this novel which are not easily erased. A particular rape scene comes to mind and it is all the more disturbing because both the transgressor and the victim seem like victims - no-one is innocent in war. This is a world gone mad and the insanity has a body count.

Sadly, this could be anywhere in the world.We are always one step away from being educated and informed and then regressing into violence. Even when the ideals are revolution for better conditions, the outcomes can be catastrophic. The pacing here is masterful and you will be drawn in despite your reservations about much of the action.

5 out of 5 - If we don't learn history we are doomed.