by Lionel Shriver is certainly out there. A friend of mine told me that she had read it in her book club, and she talked about it all weekend on a trip to the mountains. After hearing her comments, I knew I had to read that book! It is a tale about a child with a dark heart. But is his mother to blame for that? After all, she didn't want him. She didn't want him, because it would have changed her perfectly happy and carefree existence. She was a married woman and successful businesswoman, but a baby didn't fit into her life scheme. Did Kevin even in the womb know that his mother didn't want him? To me, Kevin really doesn't fall all that far from the tree, even though he takes his mother's disdain for others to extremes.
The author was very brave in writing it and talking about it, as she admits that the main character to some extent is patterned after her. And no, she does not have children.
I really have to read this book again. I am sure I will pick up things I did not get the first time. And I want to read her other books, especially The Post-Birthday World: A Novel (P.S.)
, which is hear is just as good (or wierd, however you want to put it.). If you are pregnant or wanting to have a child, I am not sure I would read the Kevin book though, as it might scare you! A lot of the reviews I have read of the book, however, have been by women with children, and they seemed to have found it fascinating, albeit at least somewhat troubling, as well. It almost has taken on a cult-like following.
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