War at Last

‘War at Last’ is the story of someone who, being tired of his own quiet life, starts digging in his family’s history in order to give his own life a deeper and more dramatic meaning. Gradually he becomes more and more obsessed with his recently deceased aunt, whose last traces are on the verge of being irretrievably erased.

‘War at Last is a subtle parody of all post-war war literature.’ de Volkskrant

‘War at Last is a book with a headstrong protagonist who, with all his fears and thoughts, quickly wins over the reader. The images are beautiful and powerful. The book’s whimsicality is a large part of its charm.’ Elsevier

Koch’s writing style is a rare combination of exuberance and understatement. What he describes is so understated and low-key it never becomes superficial.’ NRC Handelsblad

‘War at Last is a light-hearted story about ordinary people, told with humour and empathy.’ Leeuwarder Courant

‘While reading, you get caught up in the double-mesh nets of Herman’s actions and illusions.’ Trouw

‘Koch's novel is notable not only for its original story but also its style. Every sentence is precise and considered. The writer’s humour is different than usual: he chooses the path of whining, moaning and nagging.’ Provinciale Zeeuwse Courant

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‘Herman Koch shows brilliantly how you can see things that might not be there at all, how your imagination can run away with you. The Ditch is an ode to the imagination.’ **** Het Parool

‘It is not just a page-turner, there are also plenty of belly laughs to be had.’ – **** HET PAROOL

‘A feast of clarity. Herman Koch responds with stunning irony, scope and narrative efficiency.’ El Periódico (Spain)

‘Summer House with Swimming Pool is a story ingeniously told, in which Koch turns the spotlight of his imagination in deliciously cynical fashion on the world of medicine and of Famous Dutch People.’ HET PAROOL

‘An intelligent, psychologically complex novel, exploring the boundaries of morality.’ STERN

‘While reading, you get caught up in the double-mesh nets of Herman’s actions and illusions.’ Trouw

‘Koch has put it all ingeniously together. His humour is as restrained as his style. A powerful novel, without cannonballs whizzing past your ears. And yet the ending will keep ringing in your head long after you have finished reading it.’ Het Parool

‘The story unfolds from one powerful scene to the next, from one penetrating image to another.’ Vrij Nederland

‘Enjoyably true to life with Koch's flowing, ironic style as the familiar background music.’ BOEK

‘The reader soon starts to hope for the know-it-all’s downfall, but Koch takes his time to satisfy that desire.’ de Volkskrant

'The best book to come along for some time.' Vrij Nederland

Koch commands his metier with an effortless superiority. De Volkskrant

Herman Koch slaat verrassend toe in bijtende roman. Elsevier