We Need to Talk About Kevin

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

This thread is to discuss We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver.

Pages: 400 pages

Length: 1 month (September)

Participants: SarahKat, Beth

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

Here are some questions to help get the conversation started! Feel free to look up discussion questions specific to this book or come up with your own. Just make sure any questions that contain spoilers are under spoiler tags.
Discussion questions are not required but may be a fun way to talk about the book and get to know each other!

Prior to starting:
What prompted you to join this buddy read?
Have you read this author before? What do you think of their other books?

Mid-read:
What character or ideas do you relate to the most and why?
Do you have any favorite quotes or scenes?

After reading:
What was enjoyable or not-so-enjoyable about this book?
Did this book change your perception about anything, either within the book (character development) or in real life?

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

Hi Beth! starting this one tonight

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

I am 29% through the audiobook, December 25, 2000.

(view spoiler)[I relate to a lot of what Eva says, especially before she has Kevin. Her whole thing about grief and little annoyances that are still annoying even after something huge and horrible has happened. I'll find the quote and add it here at some point. Her anxiety/anger about her husband being late and not knowing where he is. That entire section is very me. Her talking about wanting to have a baby because all the big things left in life that she can think of are all negative. I didn't realize before but I think I have some of that. Not that I had children for that reason, but now that we are done having kids it's like "what now?"

That being said, her lack of maternal love and care for Kevin is where she stops being relatable. Of course her situation is completely different, having a baby who it seems just hates her from the very beginning.

I wonder why she is writing letters to Franklin. Are they separated? Is he dead? I really do love the writing in this book and I wish I had time to read it physically and pull out my highlighter. (hide spoiler)]

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

74 %, in the middle of March 8, 2001

(view spoiler)[This is so hard to read. I knew as soon as they had another child that Kevin would somehow hurt her. This whole section with the drain cleaner has made me sick to my stomach. And I'm sure he did something to the elephant shrew.

It's a very good book, but I really don't want to pick it up anymore. I will. It's just rough. My kids are around the ages that the kids are during this incident. While I would never worry about my son doing anything to hurt his sister, it makes me sick to think of poor Celia who trusts and loves her big brother so much and then he hurts her that way. UGH (hide spoiler)]

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

92% on April 5, 2001

(view spoiler)[This automatically gets returned to the library tomorrow so I'm trying to finish it today but ever since the incident with Celia I've felt sick every time I start listening again. I think it's harder on audio because I can't just skim over the horrific parts, and the narrator is very good at conveying the grief.

I am very concerned Celia won't make it through this. I know what happens to the kids at the school of course but Celia is still an unknown and I really don't want to read her mother's recollection of her death if that's what happens. On the one hand I feel like I need to be home with my kids when I finish this so I can immediately hug them but on the other hand I will probably be a mess. Oof. (hide spoiler)]

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

Review

[Beth]

OMG, Sarah, I forgot to put this on my list of books to read! I will get to this one next week before you close this out on the 25th.

[Beth]

I'm 75% into the audiobook (March 8, 2001).

This is a book that has been on my TBR for a very long time. It's one of those titles that just sticks with you.

As you mentioned, this was a very challenging read. I've had many of the same feelings as Eva... wondering if my personality was right to be a mother, trying to balance my needs against my partner's (what do you do when the two of you want things that are mutually exclusive?), etc.

What she went through... dealing with Kevin who, from the very beginning, seemingly rejected her. And her husband never believing her perspective and always siding with Kevin. Which I do get to a point... who's going to believe that a baby has it out for their mother? Especially when their relationship with their father is so positive?

And yes... as soon as they had Celia, it was fairly obvious that something (things) were going to go wrong. As you said, that she so clearly trusted and loved her brother, and he just didn't, or couldn't, or wouldn't, or whatever applied.

And, like you, I would highlight the heck out of this if I was reading it rather than listening.

This book is like watching a train wreck... you don't want to look, but you can't look away.

[Beth]

I am finished, and I am numb. This left me with very similar feelings as Defending Jacob: A Novel. I need to digest this, and then I can write more.

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

Beth wrote: "I am finished, and I am numb. This left me with very similar feelings as Defending Jacob: A Novel. I need to digest this, and then I can write more."

I will stay away from that book then. This one was enough. Even after finishing it a month ago it makes me feel ill to think about.