We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

Wow. This book is wow. I would go so far to say that We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver is one of the best books I have ever read.

But, before I go any further, I would like to warn any person reading this review that there will be spoilers-lots of them. So don't read any further if you would like to enjoy the book without knowing the ending.

That being said, I kind of guessed the ending, but was foiled when I couldn't find it spelled out on the last few pages. I went all over the internet to see if I was right, but I could only glean from other reviews that perhaps I was. In any case-I was right.

I am not sure where to begin with this review. I find it especially poignant that, while I was in the midst of reading this book, the horrifying event of Virginia Tech unfolded. I think it may or may not have colored my thoughts.

Now, unlike most books, you pretty much know the end first. Eva is writing letters to her (presumably) estranged husband Franklin. She is reliving and trying to understand their son Kevin. Kevin, as we soon know, killed 9 people in a high school "shooting". I quote shooting because Kevin didn't use a gun. He used arrows. And the majority of his victims did not die from the arrow-they died slowly from the blood loss. It is one step beyond the horror of the "typical" school shooting.

So, Eva is writing to Franklin. Discussing their decision to have Kevin, how she felt when he was born and all the things that led up to his massacre. I read that Shriver said that most people read two different books: The book that shows Eva as a cold and unloving mother who, through her actions and "un-love" raised this horrible child. The other book (so to speak) is the story of a woman who tried to be a good mother, despite this horrible monster of a child. Perhaps she saw this horrendous event coming, but was powerless to stop it.

I read both of these books. I saw both sides. I never strongly sided with one or the other. On the one hand, this is Eva's perspective-her "hindsight is 20-20" perspective. On the other, at the time she is writing these letters, she has nothing to lose-so why would she be lying?

I, for one, was most horrified by her husband. Again, I realize this is Eva's view, but either way you cut it-whether her side is completely accurate or not-he still did something to make her feel the way she felt. Even if what he did was exaggerated, she didn't experience anything less than what she describes. The man is just so blind. So desperate to choose his son over his wife. And why? I can't answer that, but every time he did this in the book, I cringed. Perhaps he is just as responsible for pushing a wedge between Eva and Kevin. I mean, how would any wife feel? You have a child with a man you love and this man adores the child and slowly and steadily begins to hate you-no mater what sacrifice you make. No matter how hard you try.

There are two surprises at the end. Each of these were suspected, but they way they played out was more than I could have imagined.

The first is the obvious-Franklin is not "estranged". He is dead. Kevin killed him, along with his younger sister, Celia, the morning he went to kill his classmates.

The second is less obvious, but I could still see it-Kevin loves his mother. He does. There are hints of this throughout the book. But to see the way he reacts towards the end, it's so sad.

I could go on and on, but I could never do this book justice. Please read it. Unless you are thinking about having children. I wouldn't want to change your mind.