We Need to Talk About Kevin

A Novel

De: Lionel Shriver

Narrado por: Coleen Marlo

Eva never really wanted to be a mother - and certainly not the mother of a boy who ends up murdering seven of his fellow high school students, a cafeteria worker, and a much-adored teacher who tried to befriend him, all two days before his 16th birthday. Now, two years later, it is time for her to come to terms with marriage, career, family, parenthood, and Kevin’s horrific rampage, in a series of startlingly direct correspondences with her estranged husband, Franklin. Uneasy with the sacrifices and social demotion of motherhood from the start, Eva fears that her alarming dislike for her own son may be responsible for driving him so nihilistically off the rails.

©2003 Lionel Shriver (P)2012 HarperCollinsPublishers

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Shriver handles this material, with its potential for cheap sentiment and soap opera plot, with rare skill and sense.” ( Newark Star Ledger)

“A slow, magnetic descent into hell that is as fascinating as it is disturbing.” ( Cleveland Plain Dealer)

“Powerful [and] harrowing.” ( Entertainment Weekly)

I ALMOST returned this book

if it weren't for the reviews that said "stick with it", I would have returned it. The first few hours made me homicidal. Seriously, watching grass grow would have made a more pleasurable experience. Note to the author: please do future readers a favor and tear out those first 4-5 chapters, burn them, sacrifice a goat and republish. Then never speak of those chapters again.

Dark. Don't Shy Away from the Topic

Would you try another book from Lionel Shriver and/or Coleen Marlo?

Yes

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

It was hard to connect with the mother in this story.

What about Coleen Marlo’s performance did you like?

Well read.

Was We Need to Talk About Kevin worth the listening time?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

There are lots of Kevin's in our society and all of them have mothers. It's a dark, at times too dark for me, story.

Excruciating

I want to explain, or perhaps justify, my rating of this powerful story. It would have had a higher score if the first half of the book wasn't overburdened by overwriting by the author. She seemed to feel the need to prove that this is a "literary" family drama, and for me, at least, this just diminished the impact of those overly-wordy passages. as the "crisis" escalates in the second part of the book, the prose became sharper and more urgent, and the book was batter for it.
Why did I title this "excruciating" ? For me, it was like watching a multi-car pile-up, knowing a disaster was happening or about to happen and feeling helpless to prevent it. I literally had to stop listening at times to take a break from some of the awfulness.
It is a compelling, emotional story; not one I'd rate as "enjoyable", but definetely intense. There are plot inconsistancies that I'd question ( wouldn't Eva at least take Kevin to be evaluated by a psychologist when she had so many issues and suspicions about him ? How could her husband be so relentlessly passive and obtuse in the face of Kevin's obvious behavior ?), but it would have been a different story. *spoiler* I guessed fairly early on that Franklin was never going to read or respond to Eva's letters, and why that was the case. As for the ending, it was the " right" one, suggesting hope even for the mother/son relationship.
Colleen Marlo was absolutely brilliant as narrator.

For Every Person Who Knows a Kevin

This is a chilling story about what happens went parent(s) refuse to see their child as he really is. From the beginning Kevin is troubled; Eva's sees it, but Franklin refuses and that fuels Kevin's desires to torture his mother. I really enjoyed the epistolary format of this novel. That made Eva's story even more personal and made the reader feel as though she's reading very private correspondence.

great one

I was immersed in the book from the beginning. while by the end the surprise ending was not so much a surprise, the writing was fantastic and kept me in suspense.

We Need to Read About Kevin.

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

Yes. I think the narrator added a lot of emotion to the story.

What did you like best about this story?

The complexity of the relationships. The story was complicated and perverse while remaining very real and compassionate.

Which character – as performed by Coleen Marlo – was your favorite?

Eva. She is the only character that we really get to understand and whose mind we get to delve into.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I felt very emotionally drained at the end. Not only does the conclusion surprise, it also adds a level or realness and sorrow that I found extremely moving.

Any additional comments?

This has been one of my favorite audiobooks, not only because of the story but also because of the performance. Overall I think the novel is well worth a read.

Fascinating Look At Parenting

Lionel Shriver is able to beautifully portray the complexities of parenthood. His understanding of the psyche of the mother is astounding and compelling. I identified with the woman and found myself often thinking, "I've thought that before but could never have put it into words." This book is an interesting study and well crafted story of parenting and of marriage/family dynamics while providing an interesting perspective on the development of a "bad seed" child.

Loved to hate it

Would you listen to We Need to Talk About Kevin again? Why?

No-I would not listen to this again but based on the reviews I knew I had to read it. As a mother of a young son and daughter it scared me. This is very realistic and shows that in certain circumstances, and as we are all learning as parents, there sometimes is nothing you can do to prevent a disaster. Torn between a mothers love and a sons demons.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The mother-she has the worst time trying to appease all sides and had no control no matter how much she tried. Did she contribute to his behavior-or was he born that way.

What about Coleen Marlo’s performance did you like?

Very real

If you could rename We Need to Talk About Kevin, what would you call it?

the name is perfect-regardless if her husband would take her seriously or not.

Any additional comments?

I rented the movie as one other reviewer mentioned to do. It did help put closure to the book for me. The movie is probably one of the truest to book movies. I was way more emotional with the book-read it first. I agree with other reviewers that this is a book that is well written and should be read-it stays with you-i'm not sure I'll ever forget it. I can't say I loved the book-but worth reading.

wow

can't really say I enjoyed the book due to the events. but it was very interesting. n emotional Rollercoaster for sure.

Still Processing This Book.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, the story was great. I enjoyed the character development, I loved that there was a twist, but not one you saw coming.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Cecelia. Can't describe why without spoilers.

What about Coleen Marlo’s performance did you like?

I liked that you could hear the pain in her voice, she wasn't reading a story, but legitimately performing it.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I sobbed.