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

‘Tense, ingeniously constructed novel by a chuckling writer.’ ZIN

‘A brilliant tragicomedy about the elasticity of morality. The reader has to constantly readjust his radar.’ Frankfurter Algemeine Zeitung (Germany)

‘Buy [Summer House with Swimming Pool] immediately.' ***** DE STANDAARD

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

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

‘Thinking of Bruce Kennedy shows us Koch at his best.’ Vrij Nederland

‘A novel both hilarious and poignant that turns everything on its head so often that you end up not knowing which is which: fiction or reality.’ GPD

‘Anyone who really wants to understand Koch’s popular novels should start with these stories.’ NRC Handelsblad

‘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

Even more than a book about memories, this is a book about lost memories and that is the thing that makes this one so special. Trouw

Een geslaagde roman over de complexe menselijke natuur. Margriet