Q and A with author Lionel Shriver

Double Fault one of the worst books I've ever read. It's so bad it's hard to believe it was written by the same writer as Kevin.

I would like to know if LS plans out her novels in detail in advance and writes chronologically through the plot or whether they develop organically to any degree
am big admirer btw

Ooh, didn't know there was a movie version, will check it out.

I read Kevin before I had DD and then I found it hard to know who to blame most, the mother or Kevin. But after having DD I found the husband the worst! My question: is he the real villain of the piece?

Sorry its been awhile since I read 'kevin' - I found it a great (and disturbing) book but I do remember feeling frustrated with the fact (as I recall) that the mother never sought some kind of psychiatric help for kevin (or herself) and that he got to that age without anyone else flagging up his behaviour.
or have I missed the point of the book?

Ooh, I just wondered what inspired you to write Kevin?

I've read Double Fault as well as Kevin. Are you deliberately seeking to portray woman who display lots of stereotypically "male" characteristics? And vice versa?

(if so, please keep it up, but would be nice if some of them were likeable too...)

I am so excited I can't think of any good questions at the moment, except like SLTS said - if you're going to give yourself a male nom de plume why Lionel? I love Ms Shriver's books, have just finished "A perfectly good family" which was fantastic (although I did think it all wrapped up a bit too neatly in the end) and am gripped by "So much for that" at the moment. Can't wait. Will try to think of some good questions!

[GRIN] AT CHOCCYP1G! you said it before I could!

Or do you just model them on your own character? Joking honestly.

do you deliberately set out to make your chief protagonists so unlikeable?

Oh Double Fault, me too! I've never run into anyone else who's read it. Despite trying to push it on people all the time.

I was going to ask the same thing. Double Fault is one of my favourite books ever.

As is Kevin, but there are several worth talking about.

Do questions have to be about Kevin? I am a Number 1 Fan of Lionel Shriver and would love to ask about some of her other books.

WOW ! I bought 'we need to talk about kevin' and found it so compelling, repulsive and engaging in pretty much equal measure...

I did not think there was an incestous overtone, but there was definitely a love/hate thing going on !

For me, I found myself feeling really disturbed by my sympathy towards Kevin, as the only truly honest, consistent character, who was true to himself all the way through

everyone else was either a victim/deluded/liar etc etc

My question - Was Kevin's character designed to elicit sympathy, almost as a hero , rather than the villain of the piece, or as there is so much ambiguity, are we ,the readers, 'allowed' to draw our own conclusions?

I am so looking forward to this Q&A!!!

i have read and re-read the book and it still chills me.

it is a masterpiece. so richly and vividly constructed and so deep on so many different levels.

OK first question:

You're female. Lionel - why???

Just finished reading it 2 weeks after my son was born. All hospital MWs telling me to step away from the book but I LOVED it. Thank you.

Was there really supposed to be a sexual/ incestuous undertone to Eva's relationship with Kevin? Or was my esteemed colleague reading waaaay too much into it?

Clearly we're not supposed to fully trust Eva's view on events. ( the rock throwingon the overpass etc) How much of her perspective is skewed? I know you've said that there are hints all the way through the novel but what's the earliest tip off that we can't believe her side of the story?

Sequel?