Just A Little Dinner
Author: Cécile Tlili
Translated by: Katherine Gregor
Published by: Foundry Editions
Pages: 155
Format: Paperback
My Rating: ★★★★
Translated by: Katherine Gregor
Published by: Foundry Editions
Pages: 155
Format: Paperback
My Rating: ★★★★
In a tired, hot Paris at the end of August, two couples, who’d rather still be by the sea, meet for dinner in one of their apartments. Étienne, the host, needs something from Johar in order to save his career, but Johar has her own future to worry about. Her husband Rémi is finding it difficult to keep his own well-guarded secret and Claudia, Étienne’s partner, is stuck, facing the reality of her life and relationship cooking curry in the sweltering kitchen.
Fractured relationships and desperation are laid bare in this contemporary Parisian tale, and what starts as just a little dinner ends up having monumental consequences for everyone.
Fractured relationships and desperation are laid bare in this contemporary Parisian tale, and what starts as just a little dinner ends up having monumental consequences for everyone.
My thoughts:
I first came across Just a Little Dinner on an impulse trip to Daunt Books in London during the height of the recent summer heatwave. The elegant cover and the promise of a story set over one sweltering Parisian evening instantly appealed to me, and I couldn’t resist taking it home. I’m so glad I did, because this slender novel turned out to be the perfect read on my train journey home.
The entire book unfolds across the course of a single dinner party at the end of August, and it’s less about what happens than how it all feels. Tlili invites us into the apartment, the conversations, the subtle shifts of mood and memory, and in doing so, she builds a quiet, contemplative character study that lingers long after you close the book. The writing, (beautifully translated by Katherine Gregor) is elegant yet understated, full of small, telling observations that reveal so much about each guest and the host at the heart of the evening.
What I especially admired was the way the heat seeps through every page. The setting isn’t just a backdrop but almost a character in itself - the sticky warmth, the long shadows, the sense of things simmering beneath the surface. As the dinner progresses, so too does the reader’s understanding of the people gathered around the table, with moments of awkwardness, intimacy, humour, and melancholy blending together.
Over the years, I’ve found myself drawn again and again to French writing. There’s something about its subtlety, its wry humour, and the way it so often captures the quiet undercurrents of everyday life that completely captivates me. Just a Little Dinner reminded me why I love the French writing style so much: the restraint, the precision, and the focus on mood over plot all feel unmistakably French in the best possible way.
With this in mind, for those looking for a fast-paced plot, this isn’t the book I’d suggest. But as a reflective, atmospheric exploration of human connection and the little tensions that flicker between people in close quarters, it’s quietly brilliant. I’m so glad I gave it a read. Just a Little Dinner is a subtle, beautifully written gem that captures the mood of a summer evening with remarkable precision. It’s the kind of novel you might read in one sitting and then spend hours turning over in your mind afterward.
Overall reaction:
I first came across Just a Little Dinner on an impulse trip to Daunt Books in London during the height of the recent summer heatwave. The elegant cover and the promise of a story set over one sweltering Parisian evening instantly appealed to me, and I couldn’t resist taking it home. I’m so glad I did, because this slender novel turned out to be the perfect read on my train journey home.
The entire book unfolds across the course of a single dinner party at the end of August, and it’s less about what happens than how it all feels. Tlili invites us into the apartment, the conversations, the subtle shifts of mood and memory, and in doing so, she builds a quiet, contemplative character study that lingers long after you close the book. The writing, (beautifully translated by Katherine Gregor) is elegant yet understated, full of small, telling observations that reveal so much about each guest and the host at the heart of the evening.
What I especially admired was the way the heat seeps through every page. The setting isn’t just a backdrop but almost a character in itself - the sticky warmth, the long shadows, the sense of things simmering beneath the surface. As the dinner progresses, so too does the reader’s understanding of the people gathered around the table, with moments of awkwardness, intimacy, humour, and melancholy blending together.
Over the years, I’ve found myself drawn again and again to French writing. There’s something about its subtlety, its wry humour, and the way it so often captures the quiet undercurrents of everyday life that completely captivates me. Just a Little Dinner reminded me why I love the French writing style so much: the restraint, the precision, and the focus on mood over plot all feel unmistakably French in the best possible way.
With this in mind, for those looking for a fast-paced plot, this isn’t the book I’d suggest. But as a reflective, atmospheric exploration of human connection and the little tensions that flicker between people in close quarters, it’s quietly brilliant. I’m so glad I gave it a read. Just a Little Dinner is a subtle, beautifully written gem that captures the mood of a summer evening with remarkable precision. It’s the kind of novel you might read in one sitting and then spend hours turning over in your mind afterward.
Overall reaction:
