We Need to Talk About Kevin

By: Lionel Shriver

Narrated by: Lorelei King

Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

Kevin Khatchadourian killed several of his fellow high school students, a cafeteria worker, and a teacher, shortly before his 16th birthday. He is visited in prison by his mother, Eva, who narrates in a series of letters to her estranged husband, Franklin, the story of Kevin's upbringing. A successsful career woman, Eva is reluctant to forgo her independence and the life she shares with Franklin to become a mother. Once Kevin is born, she experiences extreme alienation and dislike of Kevin as he grows up to become a spiteful and cruel child. When Kevin commits his murderous act, Eva fears that her own shortcomings may have shaped what her son has become. But how much is she to blame?

©2003 Lionel Shriver (P)2006 Orion Publishing Group Ltd

Brilliant, but why not tell us it’s abridged?

The story is brilliant, and you are drawn to every word, but why doesn’t Audible advertise openly that it’s abridged?

Rivetting

If you could sum up We Need to Talk About Kevin in three words, what would they be?

Rivetting, shocking, sad

What was one of the most memorable moments of We Need to Talk About Kevin?

The end when you realize that she had lost everything

Which character – as performed by Lorelei King – was your favorite?

Kevin

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

A mother's story that you will never forget

A LITTLE OVER SIMPLIFIED

What made the experience of listening to We Need to Talk About Kevin the most enjoyable?

A LOT OF TRUTH IN IT.

What was one of the most memorable moments of We Need to Talk About Kevin?

THE FIRST SECRET KEVIN SHARES WITH HIS MOM

Which scene was your favorite?

THE LAST

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

WHEN AS A BABY , KEVIN CHANGES HIS ATTITUDE WHEN HIS FATHER SHOWS UP

Not everything you read needs to be nice

Great story, with a great performance. Story at times is a bit harsh. You see parts of yourself in the characters, could Kevin be your boy? Are you the doting dad or the detached mother. Not all in life is NICE..

Excellent book!

Would you consider the audio edition of We Need to Talk About Kevin to be better than the print version?

Yes, it was even better than the movie.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Kevin did his nuh-nuh-na-na-nuh response to his mother. Ms King portrayed it so perfectly, capturing the arrogance, spite and disdain in the child's voice in a way that chilled the listener.

what a pity it was abridged!

What made the experience of listening to We Need to Talk About Kevin the most enjoyable?

I bought this book by mistake. Had I realised I was going to listen to an abridged version, I'd have thought twice before downlaoding it. Anyway, I also read the complete book on my kindle device and I must say that the audible version doesn't do justice to this amazing novel. The performance is excellent, but a lot of the characters' depth and complexity goes lost. I hope Audible realise how important it'd be to give listeners the full version and bring it out soon. So my advice is, don't listen to this abridged edition, but do read the full novel, it's really worth it, however gruesome, cruel and shocking it may be.

Excellent writing

Great writing talent but the story was a bit too strong for me. I found it distressing which I am not sure was the intention of the author.

Absolutely Good book

Well; I was forced to read this book for an assignment in child psycho diagnostic class. I loved it. I liked first of all the entire setting and how the book makes you experience what is happening.

If you are psychology student or thinking of working with kids, this is a good book that questions nature vs nurture.

Sensationalist: The Ultimate Birth Horror Story

What disappointed you about We Need to Talk About Kevin?

Women need positive attitudes when approaching birth, with this book the worst is dredged from the bottom of the steaming pile and laboured on for pages in the first birth. The second birth is fine and not even explained. I approached this book in half hour increments for a book club. I would have stopped if I didn’t have a reason for reading the book. It made me literally throw up. Sick making. IMHO only for those who want their worst fears about the most horrible things that can happen if you have kids confirmed. Interviews with the author after the boos audio confirm that the author wrote the book to explore her own confirmed opinion about childlessness’ in conjunction with an affinity with the mothers of

What could Lionel Shriver have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

I feel that the father character had little depth, The book is written from the perspective of the mother, in letter form to the father. His voice is less than missing. His or even the boys voice could make the book more interesting, more balanced. It may even give an insight into the fathers ambivalence, bordering on ineptitude to the boys psychopathic tendencies.

How could the performance have been better?

Marvellous voice acting, very well done.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Well, it really made me mad, physically sick, horrified. It changed my mind as to the passive nature of books, and I will be more careful, from now on as to what I read, for this is now part of me, a cancer to be continually excised. Some say to me that makes it a good book. I disagree, Yes I had an extreme reaction, but that does not make it positive in any form. I now have to live with the burden of reading this tripe. Go see the movie, if you want a shock. Don’t read the book. Its just for shock or to confirm already held, rather conservative beliefs about the physical pain of childbirth and the possibility of stuffing up as a parent.

Any additional comments?

Ahhh. Cant wait to get onto the next audio, Possibly J.M.Coetzee, now thats a good writer.

I didnt bother to finish it

I was disappointed with this book, I found it was really of no interest to me yet was looking forward to it.