I picked up the 470-page paperback on a second-hand book stall, finishing it a week ago. I'd heard much praise about it on its first being published way back in 2003 and that had stuck with me - maybe helped a bit by knowing of a 2011 film (which I never actually saw) starring Tilda Swinton and John C. Reilly. The book has won numerous awards ever since it came out.
I'd never heard of the American writer, this being her seventh novel - and written in epistolary form throughout - consisting of a divorced wife and mother (of the titular Kevin) writing to her separated husband - it's all one-way correspondence, she to him (no indication of his replies, if any) - trying to make sense of the happenings concerning their rude, rebellious son growing from a mother-rejecting babyhood through his years to contemptuous adolescence, she ever trying to make sense of their son's attitude and behaviour, the father ever forward in dismissing his wife's concerns as exaggerated and being over-interpreted as to a 'normal' growing boy's development, always taking their son's side. To me she exhibits extraordinary patience (never hysterical, always non-hectoring) to both male members. And then........a new daughter arrives so Kevin now has a baby sister he can 'play' with.......
I don't want to give anything more away - and there is so much that could spoil it for would-be readers. I had to keep putting the book aside for several days, it being so overwhelmingly painful - and real! But having started, I just had to finish it - quite a marvel being that I was never once even slightly tempted to sneak a quick glance at the final pages to find out what eventually happened - and, my goodness, the word 'horror' barely scratches the surface!
So in no way can I say "You just have to read this!". In some ways I wish I hadn't. I'd be terribly interested to hear from anyone who already did - and were they affected by it as anything like I've been. My reluctance to go out and recommend it as a 'good' read is totally that I just don't want anyone else to be left with the equivalent mental scars which I bear having been through the whole agonising process - and will, perhaps continue to bear for all my remaining time.
I might pick it up. I like books that shake me and jolt me and cause me to question.
ReplyDeleteSorry, though, that it triggered you and your own memories; that a tough thing to deal with, I'm sure. because that pain never really goes away.
My increasing sensitivity is due, I think, to my encroaching senility - or is that already here? There was certainly a time when I could shrug off such as this, but now that is a rarity - including seeing things on TV, most especially regarding animals. Oh well - such is life as now is!
DeleteThanks for the heads up. I have a feeling this is one I might want to miss.
ReplyDeleteYes, I understand that, Mitch. I somehow now wish that I hadn't put myself through it.
DeleteSounds like a mandatory stress read!
ReplyDeleteOnly for those with a mind robust enough to take it, Harry. :-)
DeleteI think I read this, because I know the premise and (vaguely) how it ends. Kevin was a real little b*stard, wasn't he? Haha. Seriously, though, it WAS disturbing.
ReplyDeleteI can't recall reading any other book, Jennifer, when I really dreaded coming back to it to get further. Every so often I'd turn it over, face down, open at the page I'd got to, and then feel challenged to pick it up again - sometimes a couple of days later, thinking "Oh well, let's just get it over and done with!" then carry on, though hardly daring. Disturbing? Absolutely. Not many laughs? - not ANY laughs! Intensely involving, yes! But all for what? And why has it been so highly praised in numerous quarters? Search me! Ugggghhh!
DeleteI didn't and wouldn't read it, but I friend told me about the book.... I'd wanted to kill the little bastard by the end of the book I think. I didn't read it, and I don't need to ruin a relaxed state or get my blood pleasure up. Even for reasons you stated about how you felt after.
ReplyDeleteI already suffer from high B.P., M.M., and am on prescriptions to counter it, so this didn't help one bit. You are wise to avoid it. Wish I had.
DeleteI think we definitely get more sensitive as we get older. I think I will give this a miss although I do like books that get me thinking but don't need to be stressed by a book.
ReplyDeleteStill, several days later, I feel rather 'soiled' by the experience, Carol. If it had been an account of a true story in a newspaper I definitely would have skipped reading the details - or just stopped reading it altogether. I suppose there's something compelling about a novel entirely from one person's imagination. For myself I just feel I've just GOT to get through it.
DeleteWhile I always enjoy a positive recommendation for a read, I appreciate the negative ones too: they help me know what's out there, and how my fellow book lovers think.
ReplyDeleteWould have been remiss of me not to offer a caution. No doubt some can read it and then maybe forget about it - but then some of us can't. It'll maybe haunt me forever more.
DeleteI've often wished that I could take some kind of pill that would allow me to "unremember" something. Not just forget, but wipe the slate clean. I'm still haunted my things I've read decades ago (like you, animal or child abuse). So I think I'll give Kevin a pass!
ReplyDeleteHuston, it's one thing to see/read about an event in the news that's actually happened, but when you know that it all, or mostly, comes from a writer's imagination where probably the prime motivation is to make money through shocking the reader - and hence creating a 'best-seller' - then the whole reason for writing it at all becomes evident, almost like cheating! In this case I think your decision will be the better one.
DeleteIt was a good film even though tiles was rather odd
ReplyDeleteI definitely didn't see it. Does your 'tiles' mean the 'titles' - or "at times it was rather odd"? - or........?
DeleteThe ex-husband doesn’t reply to the letters because Kevin killed him too.
ReplyDelete