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megangraff's review against another edition
3.0
If possible, I've give this book 3 and a half stars. I picked it off a friend's bookshelf because of the author and because was intrigued by the mention of Tanzania in the blurb.
I've heard interviews with Lionel Shriver and read that her books are all different so I didn't expect it to be anything like "We Need to Talk About Kevin" and I was ok with that.
It's tricky to say much more without having to hide my review due to spoilers.
I've heard interviews with Lionel Shriver and read that her books are all different so I didn't expect it to be anything like "We Need to Talk About Kevin" and I was ok with that.
It's tricky to say much more without having to hide my review due to spoilers.
beccakatie's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Telling the story of families caught in the American healthcare system was always going to be political and polarising, and there were some real moments of tenderness and humanity from these characters that allowed the reader to continue on with the book.
Shep was definitely the right choice to have as the lead character for this book, as he was the most complex and sympathetic. While that might be a self-fulfilling prophecy as he was the one readers were allowed most insight to, the other characters just felt one-dimensional in a way that felt almost irredeemable. So much of the plot and characterisation seemed focused around people spending most of their time hating each other. Jackson in particular, and his wife, felt like caricatures at times, and Jackson’s ending felt like it had been added for convenient shock value.
Jackson was often used as a political mouthpiece, and it often felt clumsy. As a British reader, the concept of facing bankruptcy because of a medical diagnosis is horrifying and foreign, but I feel that much of the political commentary and diatribes felt shoe-horned in for the sake of making a political point.
By the end of the book, I had come to warm somewhat to many of the characters, in particular Shep and Flicka, who seemed like the most realistic representations of people, with their complex emotions and varied relationships playing out so much more naturally than some of the other characters.
Shep was definitely the right choice to have as the lead character for this book, as he was the most complex and sympathetic. While that might be a self-fulfilling prophecy as he was the one readers were allowed most insight to, the other characters just felt one-dimensional in a way that felt almost irredeemable. So much of the plot and characterisation seemed focused around people spending most of their time hating each other. Jackson in particular, and his wife, felt like caricatures at times, and Jackson’s ending felt like it had been added for convenient shock value.
Jackson was often used as a political mouthpiece, and it often felt clumsy. As a British reader, the concept of facing bankruptcy because of a medical diagnosis is horrifying and foreign, but I feel that much of the political commentary and diatribes felt shoe-horned in for the sake of making a political point.
By the end of the book, I had come to warm somewhat to many of the characters, in particular Shep and Flicka, who seemed like the most realistic representations of people, with their complex emotions and varied relationships playing out so much more naturally than some of the other characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Death
Moderate: Self harm and Suicide
kittbenn's review against another edition
4.0
This is the second Lionel Shriver book I've read (Big Brother was the first), and I thought it was fantastic. It will not be the last. This is truly a minor quibble, because she's such an excellent writer and the plot and dialogue are pretty perfect, but there were some odd Britishisms in the book that I wish an editor had caught, like "mains" for wall outlets. Also, her habit of coming up with bizarre names, like Shepherd Knacker and a kid named Flicka, is just odd and distracting. Maybe this has meaning I haven't picked up on yet, but it kind of drives me a little crazy.
lisawhelpley's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this book. Threw me for several surprises near the end.
mldryan's review against another edition
2.0
So far this book is pure torture. I recommend steering clear of it. If you don't know what state our health care system is in then you should try reading newspapers and magazines. This novel is just an excessively drawn out, fictionalized op-ed. (But I still have 360 more pages to go before I have the right to that opinion. Don't know if I'll make it...). Fresh Air's book critic picked this as her personal favorite book of the year. Yikes!
catump's review against another edition
5.0
You wouldn't think terminal cancer would make for a page turner but a brilliant book, heartbreaking and funny and yes I'm very grateful for the NHS!!
captkaty's review against another edition
4.0
Largely disturbing and depressing, and populated with characters I mostly couldn't stand--yet I still couldn't put this book down. There are long stretches of dialogue that read more like political diatribe rather than something that might actually come out of someone's mouth, but basically, you just have to accept this (which is easy to do -- diatribe though it may be, it's also well-written).
This is a not a great light beach read, and you'll likely not think better or yourself or the U.S. or the human race, really, after reading it, but it's still an engrossing read.
This is a not a great light beach read, and you'll likely not think better or yourself or the U.S. or the human race, really, after reading it, but it's still an engrossing read.
caitpoytress's review against another edition
2.0
I don't think Shriver meant to describe her own book with the following passage, but she did:
"Remember how sometimes, in the middle, a movie seems to drag? I get restless, and take a leak, or go for popcorn. But sometimes, the last part, it heats up, and then right before the credits one of us starts to cry - well , then you forget about the crummy middle, don't you? YOu don't care about the fact that it started slow, or had some plot twist along the way that didn't scan. Because it moved you, because it finally pulled together, you think, when you walk out, that it was a good movie, and you're glad you went."
Except I'm not particularly glad I went or, in this case, read. It wasn't terrible but it definitely wasn't great either. Most of the characters were so damn unlikeable that it was hard to muster up any sympathy for them. Even worse, though, were the multiple page long rantings about government, healthcare, evil insurance companies, etc. etc. etc. I'm well aware that those issues form the basis of Shriver's novel; however, the rabidness of the delivery was off putting and their sheer verbosity caused my eyes to glaze over and start skimming - probably not the effect Shriver intended. That said, I'm probably not Shriver's intended audience either.
Regardless, I'm reserving full judgement until after I've read [b:The Post-Birthday World|393060|The Post-Birthday World|Lionel Shriver|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174407431s/393060.jpg|953226] and [b:We Need to Talk About Kevin|80660|We Need to Talk About Kevin (P.S.)|Lionel Shriver|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170984758s/80660.jpg|3106720], both of which I have on my bookshelves at home. She's a very talented writer and I'm hoping that this is just a case of the subject matter and the reader not clicking.
"Remember how sometimes, in the middle, a movie seems to drag? I get restless, and take a leak, or go for popcorn. But sometimes, the last part, it heats up, and then right before the credits one of us starts to cry - well , then you forget about the crummy middle, don't you? YOu don't care about the fact that it started slow, or had some plot twist along the way that didn't scan. Because it moved you, because it finally pulled together, you think, when you walk out, that it was a good movie, and you're glad you went."
Except I'm not particularly glad I went or, in this case, read. It wasn't terrible but it definitely wasn't great either. Most of the characters were so damn unlikeable that it was hard to muster up any sympathy for them. Even worse, though, were the multiple page long rantings about government, healthcare, evil insurance companies, etc. etc. etc. I'm well aware that those issues form the basis of Shriver's novel; however, the rabidness of the delivery was off putting and their sheer verbosity caused my eyes to glaze over and start skimming - probably not the effect Shriver intended. That said, I'm probably not Shriver's intended audience either.
Regardless, I'm reserving full judgement until after I've read [b:The Post-Birthday World|393060|The Post-Birthday World|Lionel Shriver|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174407431s/393060.jpg|953226] and [b:We Need to Talk About Kevin|80660|We Need to Talk About Kevin (P.S.)|Lionel Shriver|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170984758s/80660.jpg|3106720], both of which I have on my bookshelves at home. She's a very talented writer and I'm hoping that this is just a case of the subject matter and the reader not clicking.
carlamaeshep's review against another edition
dark
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
expatally's review against another edition
4.0
I found this one a little preachy at first. She took on many controversial subjects (taxes, government provided health care, disabilities, end of life care, etc) and as only Lionel Shriver can, made me see them in a different way.