We Need To Talk About Kevin

[KP the nut]

Read it... and think it sucks.

Snap. I switched to speed reading it and skimming through a lot of it.

Not my type of book.

I was so pleased to reach the end.

 

[p-no]

That doesn't sound too good... Glad I'll be back on board only from Jan.

 

[Abstract]

Snap. I switched to speed reading it and skimming through a lot of it.

I was so pleased to reach the end.

Thanks for sharing KP. My concentration level is close to zero at present so reading a a book isn't an option at present but may I ask what it was that made it so difficult? Was it the content or the way it was written?

As I said I could only watch a small section of the film as I found it so disturbing. It is the concept that I found interesting and so I had intended to give it a bash when I felt more together but maybe not from the responses here.

Is the subject something you would have wanted to read about usually KP? Thanks!

 

[Lady of Longbourn]

I tried reading this book. I can't get into it. It just isn't there for me.

 

[NarcSis]

Saw the film, found it quite interesting, however, not interesting enough to delve deeper into the book. I did note in the film that the dynamic between the parents was extremely inconsistent, the child was very good at manipulating his environment and the mother - well, let's just say, she had my sympathy.

It is a good take on the whole nature vs. nurture debate. Disturbingly done, kudos to the director who was able to capture the essence of the story.

 

[KP the nut]

may I ask what it was that made it so difficult? Was it the content or the way it was written?

The way it was written. I just wanted to scream at the mother to shut the f*ck up.

I like a book which I can enjoy for a good story, be it non fiction or fiction or to learn something from. I thought this book was purely for the mother self gratification - does that make sense?

 

[Abstract]

KP,
Thanks! I have not read any of it so I would not know (written style has such an impact) but I guess what stopped me watching was how unbearable I found the dynamic. She should never have had children. It was a disaster waiting to happen. He seems psychopathic from birth. They bounce off each other in a truly disturbing way. And the father is the perfect example of a blind enabling parent or influence. Without him one wonders if the damage would have been contained.

Are you saying that the book is written in terms of the mothers obsessing about how much her part in it is to blame? To the exclusion of everything else.

 

[Mercy]

Can't read it now. We live a few miles away from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. The horror and sorrow is just too much. So many unrelated by kinship feel the tremendous loss.

 

[Hashi]

I read the book, and thought it was good although grim.

It is a good take on the whole nature vs. nurture debate.

I agree. I think it's also a good take on looking for answers, and how much you can find them.

Like KP, I didn't like the "letters to Franklin" format but I thought that came together at the end, and having read the whole book (not skimming) I thought it worked, and added something.

My difficulty reading it was how I felt towards Kevin, how parasitical and manipulative he was. I had no sympathy at all.

I had the audiobook, and it included an interview with the author at the end. It was interesting. She talked about wanting to explore a parent not bonding with a child. She made a point about it being presented from the mother's point of view - I can't remember how she phrased it but it was along the lines of intending the reader to be aware that the mother was controlling the whole narrative according to what she wanted to represent.

I'm surprised other people didn't like it, and not really clear why not. I think it was written to give the feeling of the narrowing of the family's lives into one direction, with little relief along the way and nowhere to go afterwards. I think that worked.

 

[KP the nut]

She talked about wanting to explore a parent not bonding with a child.

Not all mothers bond with their children. I had difficulties bonding with my eldest, long, complicated story, but, I felt it was down to me to overcome the difficulties.

 

[NarcSis]

Hashi, I reiterate that I did only see the movie but I agree with the author, it is a one sided viewpoint.

Not having read the book I can understand from your description of the format now, just how the movie has lost that Mothers perspective aspect - a little difficult to portray in film I think. (great attempt though).

Oddly, I had a friend who, despite honest efforts (or at least were reported as such to me) could not bond with her daughter. She sometimes described her as "the odd little person that lives in my house" because she felt so disconnected from the child. I think the feeling / perspective is something many parents can actually relate to.

 

[KP the nut]

For once, I preferred the movie to the book. I saw the movie first.