We
Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver.
This
book is: terrifying
and brilliant.
Other elements: parenting, marriage, children, psychopaths, motherhood,
school shootings.
Read it: if you enjoy really chillingly brilliant characters. If you’re
not prone to nightmares.
Overall rating: 9.25/10
Goodreads
summary:
“Eva never really
wanted to be a mother - and certainly not the mother of the unlovable boy who
murdered seven of his fellow high school students, a cafeteria worker, and a
much-adored teacher who tried to befriend him, all two days before his
sixteenth birthday. Now, two years later, it is time for her to come to terms
with marriage, career, family, parenthood, and Kevin's horrific rampage in a
series of startlingly direct correspondences with her estranged husband,
Franklin. Uneasy with the sacrifices and social demotion of motherhood from the
start, Eva fears that her alarming dislike for her own son may be responsible
for driving him so nihilistically off the rails.”
This
book is awesome. You know from the very beginning what the major event at the
end of the book is going to be – Kevin’s murderous rampage – but seeing him
grow up through his mother’s eyes is fascinating and terrifying. The author also manages the impressive feat of
telling you about the big event at the end of the story right from the
beginning but keeping you interested and surprising you all along the way.
Shriver
keeps Kevin’s story feeling relevant by weaving in details of actual fact – for
example, the way Kevin disdainfully discusses the details of real school
shootings like he’s a professional dissecting a colleague’s work.
Kevin
himself is terrifying. He’s also creative. As someone who is a really big fan
of the TV show Criminal Minds, I can tell you there is such a thing as a
stereotypical teenage psychopath. From his hobbies to his clothing choices, Kevin
is anything but a stereotype. He also seems to be aware of the stereotypes he
could fall into, and goes to some effort to avoid being cliché. I thought that
was a marvelous touch.
Eva,
Kevin’s mother, is really interesting. She isn’t particularly likable but she
feels real. She’s snobby and fallible
and makes a few really reprehensible choices. Overall, she’s human and
believable. Her arc over the length of the book is stunningly well
accomplished. I actually think her personal growth by the end of the novel is
one of the best examples of subtle but significant character development I’ve
ever encountered. Her relationship with Kevin is beyond fascinating.
My
only complaint is that the book is a little bit slow getting started. The flashbacks
really take their time, and I occasionally found myself wishing there was a bit
less of the really early stuff – but it was worth it by the time I got to the
end and I knew so much about the characters.
If you read Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (or read my review of Gone Girl and were intrigued) definitely read this book. It's the same kind of thing, but even better.
This
book was made into a movie a few years ago with Tilda Swinton as the mother. I’m
curious to know if it was any good. Has anyone seen it?
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Labels: book review, books
