We Need to Talk About Kevin

We Need to Talk About Kevin is one of the most psychologically compelling books I have read. Author Lionel Shriver delves deep into the mind of a deeply troubled young boy who has a deadly violence brewing in him that eventually leads him to the climax of the book in which he murders a number of his classmates.

This topic is a very serious one, and one that has been covered many times in both fiction and nonfiction. Shriver succeeds in telling the gripping story of Kevin by expertly portraying all aspects of the family's life. The characters and the relationships between them are very well developed and it brings a harsh reality to the story.

I loved the format of this book. Shriver tells Kevin's story through a series of letters written by his mother Eva, to her apparently estranged husband Franklin. She feels so guilty about Kevin, incessantly reminiscing about his past and how he could have turned out the way he did. Kevin has a younger sister who is his perfect opposite - she is a loving and delicate person with a happy personality. She devastatingly trusts her older brother wholeheartedly, which one day leads her to fall victim to a dangerous "accident" involving the two siblings.

The end of the novel comes with a striking twist that will burn a hole right through the heart of the reader. This story was filled  with so much passion and it was so interesting, albeit disturbing, to read the full story of a young boy who would come to such a horrific outcome. We have all heard the tragic stories of Kevin's real life counterparts, but this piece of fiction really opens you up to the other side of such a tragedy. A small part of you may even sympathize with Kevin - how could someone get so deep down the wrong path when there are people in his life who want to help?

I look forward to reading more of Lionel Shriver's work - keep reading for future reviews on Big Brother and The Post-Birthday World!