We Need To Talk About Kevin, by Lionel Shriver won the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction in 2005. And I completely agree that this book deserves awards.
Eva’s son orchestrated a school massacre when he was fifteen years old. Eva, in letters to her husband, is working through Kevin’s childhood, seeking to understand what happened. Eva didn’t really want to have children; she didn’t like Kevin from birth. She doesn’t come across as a sympathetic person, and I yet I did sympathize with her. Her life is a living nightmare.
I loved this book. I finished it a couple of weeks ago and have been struggling with writing this review. I think the less I say, the better. The experience was one of pure intellectual stimulation. I like Shriver’s writing style, though it is dense and sometimes more intricate than necessary. Also, the epistolary form, though stretched thin at times, worked for me. Even though the subject matter was not particularly pleasant, the book was. It definitely packed an emotional punch. It’s not a book I’ll soon forget.
I read this book for the Online Book Club over at Everyday I Write the Book Blog and for the Book Awards II Challenge.
We Need To Talk About Kevin, by Lionel Shriver 
Other Reviews:
Book Club Classics
Bookstack
Book Addiction
Presenting Lenore
Books on the Brain
An Adventure in Reading
The Hidden Side of a Leaf
Books I Done Read
Tales from the Reading Room
Care’s Online Book Club
Buy We Need to Talk About Kevin
{ 12 comments }
Oh man, that sounds like an emotional book.
Sounds like a fascinating book. Thanks for the review. I will definately check this one out!
I’ve been meaning to read this book for sometime now. I’ll get to it eventually LOL.
It does sound wonderful. It’s been on my wishlist for a while, actually, but I had forgotten why I wanted to read it so much. Thank you for reminding me.
Great review — I completely agree, too… I just wanted my review to be: “Just Read This. Seriously.” :)
Thanks for the link, too!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this one, it’s definitely one of my favorite books that I’ve read in 2008. Thanks for the linky love too!
Yes, this was a great one, and I am looking forward to the book club tomorrow!
Wow…this sounds like a very powerful book. I’m definitely going to have to read this one.
I really enjoy your writing. Have you ever thought about writing your own book?
Now you get me very curious. How would you compare this to Wally Lamb’s latest, the fictionalized Colombine incident?
You know, I’ve come so close to purchasing this many times, but think you’ve just convinced me. :)
I read this book before I started blogging. It blew my mind and it was all I could talk/think about for DAYS.
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