Andrew (andrewspink@mastadon.green) reviewed Meneer Beerta by J. J. Voskuil (Het bureau ; 1)
Review of 'Het bureau' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
I must admit that by the time I was getting towards the end of the 600 pages of this novel it was getting a bit of a struggle. Not that the book doesn't have its good points - it is well written and conveys the subtleties of the personalities and interactions of the characters in a great way. However, it is so negative! The book is set in a small ethnology/sociology research institute in the 60s and the central character explicitly and repeatedly tells us how much he despises what he sees as essentially completely pointless work. Add to that a strong dose of illness (mental and physical) a few deaths and a miserable marriage, and you have a recipe for a depressing story. I know there are people who have read all the volumes of the series, but I will be happy to stop here.
