Our April book is We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver (as recommended by our Forum contributor Belle). This novel won the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2005.

Fifteen-year-old Kevin Khatchadourian murdered seven of his fellow students at high school. The other helpless victims of his actions were one of his teachers and a cafeteria worker. His mother, Eva, is being sued.

The author has said that she originally foreswore motherhood at the age of just eight! Years later, in her forties and still childless, she tackled issues about motherhood in this harrowing work. In the novel, Eva is concerned that she may be partly responsible for Kevin’s behaviour: perhaps she was lacking as a parent?

The old Nature/Nurture debate rears its head again here. The book is also a political satire, and has been interpreted as an indictment of ‘the American Dream’.

The story is told through a series of letters addressed to Kevin’s father, Franklin, from whom Eva is estranged. The overall construction has been highly praised, and there is a powerful, unexpected climax.

It will be interesting to see how Forum readers respond to this novel. One day it was recommended to me in absolutely glowing terms, then immediately afterwards someone else said to me 'Don’t read that book!' As ever, it’s a case of 'One man’s meat…..'

Food for thought: Amanda Craig has suggested that the book is 'Desperate Housewives as written by Euripides'. Discuss!

Content last updated: 29/03/2006

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