#36 A Horse Walks Into a Bar, by David Grossman
Booker Prize : WINNER INTERNATIONAL BOOKER 2017 Plot Time and Place : Present day Israel Opening sentence : "Good evening! Good evening! Good evening to the majestic city of Caesariyaaaaaah!" Plot summary : A stand-up comedian delivers a shockingly cruel routine about guilt and betrayal. (from thebookerprizes.com) Review : I read it in one sitting, which is a good sign. Somehow, it was like staring at a car crash: you just couldn't look away. However, I kept waiting for something terrible to happen, storywise, and it just didn't, the ending was disappointing. But I enjoyed the portrait of a bullied, lonely boy, and also of the grief-stricken, guilty narrator. Rating : 3/5