Re: OT: Poll - Most Disturbing Book You've Read


"K Barrett" <mormodes@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:PK2dnTfEV_RJ22_enZ2dnUVZ_sSdnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I just finished the most disturbing book I have ever read. It's called
"We
Need to Talk About Kevin", by Lionel Shriver. It is a fictional account
of
the aftereffects on the mother of a teenager who goes on a killing
rampage
at a high school. It's not one I would have picked out for myself, but
it
was given to me and, once started, I couldn't stop reading it. I wish I
had
stopped. I had to start something else immediately to rid myself of the
mood I was left with upon finishing.
Sue D.


Ya know, how would someone even research that topic? I know someone who
is writing a book about a veteran who has had his leg blown off, and he
gets a lot of information from blogs or webpages, where people are
willing (even cathartic) to talk about their amputee experiences.
Whereas a parent of someone who has shot up a campus... I'm not so sure
they'd be that forthcoming (much less blog it). Jeffrey Dahlmer's
father comes to mind as the only person I know about who has discussed
what its like to be a parent of a 'monster'. AFAIK the parents of the
kids who shot up Columbine aren't talking either, because of lawsuits
(yes? no? am I misremembering that??)(probably) So how would some
author dig that out of their own soul without making it sound like it
was made up out of whole cloth?

I supose I should read the book.... but... ick. I have enough sturm and
drang in my life that I don't want (or can't stand) much more.

K Barrett

I don't see how she could have researched it either. The book is composed
of a series of letters to the "estranged husband", (quoting the flyleaf).
The mom suspects something is terribly wrong with their son from the
beginning, while her husband thinks she just doesn't like the kid. I found
it hard to believe that the husband could always put a positive slant on his
son's outrageous misbehaviors and even harder to believe that the parents
never had him evaluated by a psychologist or psychiatrist. It's a terrible
story about a mother who blames herself, (at times), a father who can see no
wrong, and a boy with no conscience. I thought it was well-written, but I
don't recommend it to anyone who's had a child. The writing was good but I
felt cheated and horrified when I finished it.
Sue D.


.

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