I recommend We need to talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver

She obviously has a bug up her arse about motherhood (Shriver that is, probably issues about her own mother giving her such a crap name.)

I recommend Lionel Shriver get her head checked. That book was pants.

You're not, Twiglett, I am currently reading it and finding it quite tedious. The mother is such an annoying character and the author seems to be suffering from a bout of verbal diarrhoea while giving her voice.

Eva also waffles on a bit, I am skipping huge "self-pitying, poor me" chunks of the book. So glad I didn't buy it!

I must the only person in the world who thought it was ... blah ...

I found it predictable tbh .. and also thought the characters were unbelievable

guess that's what makes the world go round

I've just finished this and it's been playing on my mind so much. So sad and disturbing and depressing but I would recommend it. Is it her first novel?

I agree with you, marthamoo, I think the book went off the boil in the second half; towards the end I felt as if I was reading the screenplay for the film, all gore and horror, written for a cinema audience. My enthusiasm for the book waned from the middle on. I do like the style of the unreliable narrator, though - very clever, IMO. But I also agree that it's a book that leaves you feeling rather sullied.

No, I can well believe it, mb - but she knew he had blinded his sister - not much of a leap of faith from that to oooh could he have shot up the gym (arrowed up? archeried up?)

I lived w/a sociopath like this at Georgetown University, martian. Scary stuff!

Did she not realise it's a boys name (well, an old man's name really)?

mathamoo, I have taught some near sociopaths who's parents refuse to see them as anything other than 100% angelic. Hard to believe, I grant you, but trust me they do exist!

In the world of someone who changes her name from Margaret to Lionel, it is.

Agree it is refreshing for a counter to the motherhood is wonderful stuff - but jeez, it's not that bad

For a much better example of human ambivalence towards procreating, try 'Frankenstein'.

Lionel makes me want to roll my eyes.

But again, such a blessed counterweight to all the Motherhood Is Wonderful stuff.

The one thing that I found really glaringly unbelievable was that she was sure that Kevin had committed the near psychotic act with the bleach (and how yuck was the bit with the glass eye at the end?) but when she heard there had been an 'incident' at the school it didn't cross her mind at all that Kevin might be the instigator - she was concerned he might be a victim. Just didn't buy that myself. I mean, Mums of plain naughty kids, as soon as they see teacher heading towards them at hometime have that fatalistic air of what's s/he done now?"

I found it quite fascinating, but ultimately unsatisfying.

hovely, I think she'd read too much around parenting, and thought she was doing all the right things etc (ie over analysed and made that american phrase "quality time" for them, which neither of them obviously enjoyed..). and I'm sure she did try to get help from a paediatrician who dismissed her fears, along with the husband. The book had a far less negative effect on me, I was absolutely drawn to it and found it hard to put down. I also "trusted" less of her testimony the further I read. brilliant read though, and am really looking forward to discussing it with my book group.

I have just read this and wanted to revive the thread - maybe others have also caught up with the earlier readers?
I found it awful and deeply upsetting to read, almost unbearable for its negativity and hatred. Stylistically it was well done, very compelling and gripping, but horrific. Like others here it was the sister's experience that really got to me (but I guess sibling relationships are high on my list of interests at the moment).
The problem that really perplexed me about the mother's behaviour was why she never ever sought any help; why nobody but her saw the depths of nastiness Kevin was capable of; why she never tried to discuss him with anyone outside the family; or why she never seemed to doubt her own mental health. She was a worldly educated woman with bright friends and although she did appear to be a bit socially isolated surely she could have gone to the library - say- and tried to read up around this kind of experience or behaviour? Oh well, that's what I would have done anyway.

I found the ending quite surprising - almost as if she finally became the stereotypical caring, nurturing mum after his horrible acts and his honesty about them, i.e. almost as if she was "redeemed" as a mother by his behaviour (and her forgiveness of his behaviour)

Did you think it was weird the way he seemed apprehensive of adult prison? Nothing else ever phased him including the dirty diapers. In my experience of young offenders they look forward to it bizarrely - it's only when they get there they realise how awful it is.

I've just finished it, great book.
Then end - well, I guess it was a matter of Eva carrying how she had done throughout Kevin's childhood, that is, trying to be a good mother despite his 'character flaws' (understatement of the year?!).
Maybe this was because he started showing a tiny bit of remorse? I don't know how things would have developed had he not given her the eye in the box...

What did you make of the ending, everyone (everyone who has finished it, that is )?

Indeed MI, I actually though Kevin was fascinating. It was astounding just how vile he was to everyone.

I've heard about the fifth child, might give that a go.

I agree, I think the mother's struggle to love and do her best for Kevin despite him was brilliant - even the arm breaking incident! People don't talk about these issues enough, plenty of adult parents and children hate/dislike/disown yet still seek attention from each other. If you liked this, do read 'the fifth child' by Doris Lessing, an interesting study of a younger (in birth order) child being 'different'.

Yes, in many ways I did. And it was so damn refreshing after all those 'oh the absorbing mystery of Having Given Birth, how difficult yet how enhancing I'm finding it' palaver [insert finger down throat emoticon]

Did you like it MI?

I didn't find it depressing, just interesting.