A new "Kevin" thread for those of us who got it for Christmas? (may contain spoilers)

[Flamesparrow]

Got We Need to Talk about Kevin for Christmas and have just finished it.

I read the old thread that I could find, but thought it might be time for a new one....

My first response... Not good to read when 32 weeks pregnant!! I'm just glad its my second child!!!! I have had such weird dreams about it....

I felt it was overwritten, but I really enjoyed the content of the book (does that make sense???) even if it was a bit far fetched - although was it? When she's looking back writing, she can see that she had been scared of him/worried about him for years, and it all looks glaringly obvious, but when its happening? Is it all really a case of the little things making the big thing happen? He was odd, she knew that. He did a series of horrendous things, she knew that. But could it have been that each event seemed seperate at the time? It all went more unbelievable when we're meant to believe she gave the benefit of the doubt (in her actions if not words) over the sister... although again, you hear about siblings abusing others and the parents just carrying on as normal.

Oooh, too much thinking... someone come talk to me so I'm not gibbering alone!!!

Flamesparrow, I've also recently finished it and was just desperate to discuss it with someone!
I kept asking everyone I knew and not one of the bleeders had read it....
What made my mind twist in circles was the idea that because this was her perspective, maybe she was looking back at events and spinning them to fit her prejudices.
But I really thought it was excellent and despite the utter grimness, ultimately a little redemptive? What did you think about that hug?
There was a line early on about 'the baffling despair of new motherhood' and I thought, 'wow', what an amazing, brilliant way to put it.
But despite all that, there was still a little part of me who thought, 'Lionel Shriver's childless.....what does she know, really?' The fact that the mother never talks about a single tender moment when he was small seemed unrealistic....but then, if it IS all about her own self-justfication...hmm, head's spinning again now.....

What is the name and gist of the book?

oooh, I'm only about 40 pages in.

must read quickly so I can chat to you!

We Need to Talk About Kevin, a fictional account of a Columbine-type school massacre (not a spoiler, you know this from the beginning) and an exploration of the nature/nurture debate on parenting. I thought it was terrific.

thought it was predictable

didn't think it rang true either ..

nicely crafted writing though, quite an enjoyable touch .. just no real ability to write about an area without personal experience .. other authors seem to acheive this .. i think she made too many trite assumptions about parenting and didn't bother to research it beyond what she assumed she knew

shame, I was looking forward to enjoying it .. but found it quite poor

would you all recommend it?

um .. not if its the only book you get to read

No, I really wouldn't recommend it just after you've had a baby, Nemo.

Forgot I started this

Annie - I keep going over it in my head.... I keep going back to the thought that this is a woman who has lost everything in her life. Her own son killed strangers, her daughter, and her husband. The more I think about it, the more I think that it is possible that you would paint out the good parts - the parts with loving etc, and make this child a monster from day one, and make yourself to blame for not loving it... how else do you comprehend that your child killed people?

Its a weird book - I can see what people say about it being predictable, I didn't like her writing style, and the actual book itself wasn't all that great - it is the ideas that its left me to think over that I liked about it.

I neeeeeed to talk about Kevin! Bought the book for a train journey yesterday and couldn't go to sleep until I'd finished it (and then couldn't go to sleep..!). I found it utterly compelling and disturbing all at the same time - I hadn't anticipated the end at all and can't get the picture out of my head of the little sister...

I think (to answer some of the previous questions and the questions posed at the end of the book) that it was fascinating because it was what I believe - that you're born how you are - genes are everything - taken to the extreme. So how do you ever stop killers if they're born to be like that?

Loved it as a book but would have a hard time reading it again I think.

Can I resurrect this thread please? I've just finished the book and HAVE to talk about it.

I did find it compelling and realistic. I could identify with many of Eva's early experiences (no, I don't have a Kevin!!) in that I can see her overanalyzing things and being emotionally detached. I rather ashamedly recognise early times with ds2 when ds1 could do no right and have to wonder what damage I did at the time.

My theory is that it's partly nature AND nurture. Kevin obviously inherited a lot of his personality from his mother, but her severe postnatal depression and inability to see any good in him triggered a cascade of bigger and grander stunts to get her attention and to systematically destroy anything she cared about/loved more than him. If I destroy the room she loves.

Ironically, it was only the aftermath of Thursday that she finally had anything to find pride in her son - and I think that was his "why". She'd pontificated so often on high school shootings and why they were all dumb, he knew that was the way to get her attention - but did you notice that he systematically avoided all she thought was worse about them (the choice of weapon, the taking the blame not pinnning it on no friends or a break up, etc)

Franklin, of course, made things a thousand times worse by creating a complete divide in the family. His blind assumption that Kevin could do no wrong meant that he had no boundaries that could have forced him to get his mother's attention in other ways. One of the most heartbreaking things I found though was that he never had a good relationship with Celia and yet their personalities were so similar - neither could think the worst of Kevin, both could only see the best around them.

I guessed the surprise "twist" very early on, but still wasn't prepared for the horror of it - I thought the descriptions and build up to it were excellently crafted and Lionel Shriver is a talented author. Finished it late last night but couldn't sleep for ages afterwards.

Erm, that should have read "If I destroy the room she loves more than me, then that leaves only me to love", etc.

I read this one on holiday this summer. I was gripped from the beginning, also guessed what the outcome was, but was still shocked when it happened.

It does make you think more about the possible consequences of the decisions you make.

I've just finished this as well. Tbh, I found it hard to swallow the premise that a child could be born bad in that way, which made me feel the entire book was rather contrived.

I wanted to slap Eva at times for being so self-centred and self-pitying and droning on about her wonderful pre-child life. Meanwhile, Franklin was so idealistic and blinkered. I could certainly see how a couple like that might drift apart and that may have happened even without Kevin added to the mix. I guessed the end too but the details were pretty gruesome and I didn't sleep well the night I finished it, esp with the news of the Amish tragedy the same day.

One thing I wondered - were all the other School Shootings in the book actual events? I know some of them really occured but wasn't sure if they all were. If they did all happen, then I'm shocked there have been quite so many.

I read this months ago, but still find myself mulling it over..I think it's a brilliant book, if disturbing.
It has a lot of layers, and you really have to read between the lines: our narrator is not objective, how could she be? It's up to the reader to interpret her version of events, and the interesting thing is we are all going to interpret it a little bit differently