the post-birthday world by Lionel Shriver

Wow, so it's been almost a year since I posted about any books I've read. It's not that I haven't read any, it's just that I was having a hard time actually writing about them.

In any case, I am back and the first book I am writing about is the post-birthday world by Lionel Shriver. You may remember that I wrote about her last year. This review will be just as favorable as that one.

Anyone who has seen the movie Sliding Doors will find the premise familiar. Irina has a moment-a moment to kiss her boyfriend's friend and a moment to resist. Afterward, the story continues in alternating chapters as to what her life becomes as she travels the paths of each choice.

One of the most clever and enjoyable things about the books is the way Shriver uses dialogue, events and scenes to subtly illustrate the differences in Irina's life. For example, in one chapter Irina may say certain things about a subject and in the next, her partner may say the same things while she takes the opposing view.

The lesson is an old one (the grass isn't always greener . . .), but one that often bears repeating. In one life, Irina is in a passionless, boring relationship. Steady and reliable, but lacking in any sort of excitement. In the other, life is full of passion and romance, yet tempered with constant fighting and losing one's self.

One of the best parts of the book is that the reader can never conclude which life turned out better. They were each just different in their own way. It's great lesson for those of us who may feel stifled by our everyday existence. Everything is a trade-off and maybe the grass is greener, but the blades cut deeply.