Product Description

Two years ago, Eva Khatchadourian's son, Kevin, murdered seven of his fellow high-school students, a cafeteria worker, and a popular algebra teacher. Because he was only fifteen at the time of the killings, he received a lenient sentence and is now in a prison for young offenders in upstate New York. Telling the story of Kevin's upbringing, Eva addresses herself to her estranged husband through a series of letters. Fearing that her own shortcomings may have shaped what her son has become, she confesses to a deep, long-standing ambivalence about both motherhood in general and Kevin in particular. How much is her fault? Lionel Shriver tells a compelling, absorbing, and resonant story while framing these horrifying tableaux of teenage carnage as metaphors for the larger tragedy - the tragedy of a country where everything works, nobody starves, and anything can be bought but a sense of purpose.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #498 in Books
• Published on: 2006-05-09
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 500 pages

Review
"'An awesomely smart, stylish and pitiless achievement' Independent 'Taps into unspoken fears of maternal ambivalence that are not easily acknowledged and do not fit neatly into glossy magazine notions of female empowerment' Guardian Unlimited 'Harrowing, tense and thought-provoking, this is a vocal challenge to every accepted parenting manual you've ever read' Daily Mail 'An elegant psychological and philosophical investigation of culpability with a brilliant denouement' Observer 'As a mother of two, reading Lionel Shriver's novel, We Need to Talk About Kevin was a comfort and a revelation' Jenni Murray, BBC Women's Hour"

The Sunday Times (Culture), May 7, 2006
‘Urgent, unblinking and articulate fiction’

The Guardian, 6th May, 2006
‘Cleverly balances the grand guignol and the mundane’

Customer Reviews

A case of 'The Emperor's New Clothes' ?
There can only be one true word to describe this novel, Dire.

Without any apprehension, I can honestly say this is by far the worst book I have ever read. Anyone who thinks the whining and whinging of the irritating 'Eva' to be a compelling read needs to get out and buy another book, any book is better than this.

Not only do we know what happens before the story begins, we have to endure what seems like a never ending tide of drival about how Kevin's mum felt before his birth, after his birth and after the event.

This really is a case of 'The Emperors New Clothes', one critic says its brilliant and the mindless masses go and buy it, only to find it's rubbish. Not wanting to be singled out, they all nod and agree how wonderful the book was.

Do yourself a favour and read the side of a cereal box, it's better written. Also take note of the price 'used' copies are available on Amazon, two pence! Makes you think.......

Yawn...................
Wow! all these wonderful reviews about "we need to talk about Kevin".
Have I been reading a different book? I'm finding it dull, boring, lifeless and would gladly put it down and not pick it back up again, except it's for my book group read this month so I have to try and finish it.
Oh well, back to plodding through to the end................yawn.

Fascinating from the first page
I won't repeat all the positive comments people have already written, except to say that the book is gripping, harrowing, funny at times, insightful, and has a great writing style.
Ignore all those people saying the first 100 pages are hard work. Anyone who says that was probably hoping for car chases, explosions, axe-murders or something. The first 100 pages set the scene before Kevin is born, describing the attitudes, lives & relationship of his parents. None of it is boring.
Also ignore criticism of the style. The prose is very readable and rather beautiful. It is also perfectly in keeping with the fact that Eva herself is an author (of travel books)
A very thought-provoking novel. But perhaps not suitable for those looking for the next Hannibal Lecter.