We Need To Talk About Kevin
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Review
"'An awesomely smart, stylish and pitiless achievement' Independent 'Taps into unspoken fears of maternal ambivalence that are not easily acknowledged and do not fit neatly into glossy magazine notions of female empowerment' Guardian Unlimited 'Harrowing, tense and thought-provoking, this is a vocal challenge to every accepted parenting manual you've ever read' Daily Mail 'An elegant psychological and philosophical investigation of culpability with a brilliant denouement' Observer 'As a mother of two, reading Lionel Shriver's novel, We Need to Talk About Kevin was a comfort and a revelation' Jenni Murray, BBC Women's Hour"
The Sunday Times (Culture), May 7, 2006
‘Urgent, unblinking and articulate fiction’
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
117 of 126 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I saw this book on BBC1's Page Turners and so decided to buy it. This novel is absolutely brilliant, I cannot recommend it enough.
The story is narrated by Eva, in letter form, as she writes to her estranged husband. Eva's son, Kevin, is in a juvenile detention centre, as at the age of 15yrs he went on a killing spree at his high school. He killed 7 fellow students, a teacher and a cafeteria worker. Through Eva's letters, the reader is taken through Kevin and her story, going right back into their past, even before Kevin was born. As Eva spills her heart out onto the paper, you are struck by how she is debating the point of just how to blame, if at all, she is for Kevin's actions.
The story is narrated by Eva, in letter form, as she writes to her estranged husband. Eva's son, Kevin, is in a juvenile detention centre, as at the age of 15yrs he went on a killing spree at his high school. He killed 7 fellow students, a teacher and a cafeteria worker. Through Eva's letters, the reader is taken through Kevin and her story, going right back into their past, even before Kevin was born. As Eva spills her heart out onto the paper, you are struck by how she is debating the point of just how to blame, if at all, she is for Kevin's actions.
The exploration of the past, especially Eva's relationship with her husband, brings up many areas of life and truth that are often not spoken about. This, I think, is why this novel is so good; the book is not just about Kevin's terrible crime. The dynamics of Eva and Frianklin's relationship are also explored, both as a young couple and as a family once Kevin is born.
This novel really does stay with you long after you have finished the last page. The ideas, suggestions and debates it raises are complex and intriguing, something to really get your teeth into.
This is a great book, one of the best I have read, and that really is saying something.
77 of 83 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is very well written. Contrary to other reviews of this book, I think it is a strength in the novel that Eva does not always inspire empathy in the reader. Eva is a terrifically well rounded, believable and flawed character. The book is in the form of letters to her husband trying to rationalise the tragic killings performed by her son. I think it is in trying to rationalise why Kevin committed such atrocities that Eva questions her role as a mother... is it because she didn't really want a baby, because she couldn't bond with Kevin after he was born, because she wanted a career or was Kevin just born inherently evil?
This book is gripping from beginning to end, thought provoking, funny, scary and sad... well worth a read.
This book is gripping from beginning to end, thought provoking, funny, scary and sad... well worth a read.
29 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Schriver is frequently slated for writing a book about motherhood when she is childless. In slating Schriver and in condemning Eva (Kevin's mother) reviewers overlook the fact that Kevin scores highly on the Cleckley checklist used to identify clinical psychopathy and Eva also alludes to all 3 of the classic triad of childhood indicators of psychopathy. She's done her homework in this respect. Kevin evades diagnosis (there is a great unwillingness to diagnose psychopathy in children) and the family are left to flounder with a child whose behaviour cannot be modified with either reward or punishment.
As a mother, Eva blames herself for not bonding with a son who is incapable of bonding or, indeed, of forming normal relationships. She does her best to understand and cope with his aberrant behaviour, but faced with her husband's refusal to acknowlege the problem and his inability to see through Kevin's play-acting, she is out-manoeuvred by her own son. Through it all she loves her son as best she can, but his inability to respond in a normal fashion stymies her attempts to mitigate his behavioural and deep psychological problems.
It takes a while to get into the book, but as the story progresses, it becomes hard to put it down. The real reason for Eva's estrangement from husband and daughter is a twist I didn't see coming until a few pages from it. The final scene, however, seems out of place.
As a mother, Eva blames herself for not bonding with a son who is incapable of bonding or, indeed, of forming normal relationships. She does her best to understand and cope with his aberrant behaviour, but faced with her husband's refusal to acknowlege the problem and his inability to see through Kevin's play-acting, she is out-manoeuvred by her own son. Through it all she loves her son as best she can, but his inability to respond in a normal fashion stymies her attempts to mitigate his behavioural and deep psychological problems.
It takes a while to get into the book, but as the story progresses, it becomes hard to put it down. The real reason for Eva's estrangement from husband and daughter is a twist I didn't see coming until a few pages from it. The final scene, however, seems out of place.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
a superb book !
Beautifully written, an accurate journey through life in general and motherhood in particular - while subtly developing the theme of raising an evil child... What would you do ? Read more
Published 4 days ago by Mum in London
disconcerting
This is a very harrowing story which is nevertheless gripping and not easy to put down. It is a story of a boy with obvious problems and the difficulties he and his family have... Read more
Published 7 days ago by jill withey
Fantastic
One of the best books I've read in a very, very long time. It's strange really, as none of the characters are at all likeable, but that didn't stop me enjoying this book immensely. Read more
Published 8 days ago by Gavin Jones
A wonderful book
This is not a cheerful, light read. It is however a beautifully written, thought-provoking page-turner. Read more
Published 16 days ago by Expat
Great read
Great read with a surprise (or shock) ending - but not everyone's cup of tea as it is quite violent with a few detailed sexual references. Read more
Published 19 days ago by e williams
Couldn't put it down
I avoided picking up this book to read for a very long time as I knew that I would find the subject matter distastful. Read more
Published 20 days ago by Ms. D. A. E. Walker
Compelling, mind-boggling story, a disturbing read!
I came across this book by word of mouth, as two colleagues of mine had told me about their reading experience, and both of them in quite different terms. Read more
Published 22 days ago by maximize
Wasn't completely convinced...
I'm a bit late to the party for this book, I know, but I downloaded it to my Kindle so that I could read it before going to see the film. Read more
Published 23 days ago by Maddy Reading
What a compelling read!
I started this book and couldn't put it down. The story is every eloquently written, with a very clever format. You know there is a twist coming, but it is not obvious. Read more
Published 24 days ago by Doug B
Disturbing but very good
Kevin is a teenager who has killed several people at his local high school and is now serving time in jail. Read more
Published 25 days ago by Julia Flyte
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