We Need To Talk About Kevin

By Lionel Shriver

Am I qualified to comment on this? Neither being a parent nor a depressive, how easily can one relate?
The big question seems to be 'How much can we trust Eva?'
The story is told as a series of letters from Eva to her estranged husband looking over just where everything went wrong with their lives and relationship, something that can be pinned pretty squarely on the birth of their vile child Kevin, now incarcerated for multiple murder in a Columbine style shooting.
Eva seems to have suffered from some form of post natal depression, and Kevin seems to have grown up with the sole aim of identifying anything Eva cared about and destroying it. Obviously writing now, as she approaches the second anniversary of Kevin's massacre, she has plenty of reasons to think herself a failure as a parent, though God knows, she tried.
I remember a Guardian review of the recent film, which I've not seen yet, but will probably catch as soon as it comes on the telly, which was subtitled with the idea that Kevin was Satanic. Since I was already planning to read the book, I only skimmed the article for fear of spoilers.
Satanic. Not a word I would have used. Not really supported by the article either. Still.
Kevin seems a nihilist. He takes no joy except from spoiling things for others. Probably he'd be flagged as EMO these days, another of those trendy descriptions that doesn't mean anything in particular. But Satanic? Doesn't that somehow pass any responsibility onto someone else? If there really were a devil, then knowing that he was leaning over Kevin's shoulder, whispering murderous suggestions into the boys ear, means that the deaths aren't actually his fault. But that would make it far too easy.
Kevin is a nasty child. He hurts things and especially people. He takes delight in upsetting a mother, who while somewhat aloof and dismissive, at least tries. We don't like the idea that children can be nasty, but surely some are, though fortunately rarely this nasty.
(Aside) I am suddenly reminded of people writing about The Wasp Factory, in it's day seen as a very shocking book. I could never quite work out why it was so shocking, save perhaps that they couldn't cope with the idea of a malicious child. (Aside ends)
Back to Kevin. I enjoyed the book. It's a traumatic read, but as it goes on, and the narrative approaches that awful Thursday, becomes increasing gripping. Eva blames Kevin, but blames herself for failing to engage with her child. Would she have redeemed him had she given herself unreservedly in the delivery room. She doesn't know, who could?

I've still not worked out why the writer chooses to style herself as Lionel though. Especially for something like this, where the viewpoint is so very maternal.