Picture courtesy of Steve Rhodes
I have finally finished Lionel Shriver’s superb book The Post-Birthday World which I started a long time ago, it seems. Let me first say that I loved it. Shriver’s writing is so special that it constantly makes me sit up and take notice. I could read her words forever.
That said, there were some aspects of the novel which grated:
- I mentioned this before: the supposedly sexy snooker player Ramsey, who was the alternative to the supposedly stuffy Lawrence, just did not do it for me. I could not see the appeal. Maybe it is my own hang-ups with the ‘cheeky-chappie Cockney’ persona – when you have met as many as I have, they are not that endearing. They are usually ignorant and boorish. His dialect didn’t ring true for me either. I am no Cockney (I speak the Queen’s Estuary English), but I can spot a fake a mile off. Ramsey’s accent made my toes curl. For all Shriver’s impressive knowledge of British idiom, there are some phrases which would never be used in the context they are given. For any non-Brit, this would not be evident, I am sure but as a Brit, it started to rankle. Rather than be authentic, it was affected.
- The protagonist, Irina, was difficult ro warm to. Whilst I like the unpredictability of having a less-than perfect heroine, it started to grate when her decision-making in both universes beggared belief. I wanted to shake her. Again, though, I have to admire Shriver for writing a character who evoked such strong feelings. But if I was meant to like Irina, or sympathise with her, then I guess Shriver failed here.
Having said all this, the overall theme of fateful choices and decisions was fascinating. I have often thought how life changes so dramatically because of one action or inaction. I was ultimately frustrated by the lack of neat, happy ending but this is my failing since I know I am romantic at heart. As a creative–writing student, it is important to explore less-conventional endings. I am definitely eager to seek out more of Shriver’s work, although my current ‘to-read’ list is overwhelming without being added to.
So what to read next? I am dying to see what all the Twilight fuss is about and this might be suitably light reading before I launch into the more challenging The Fountainhead or the more emotional Atonement or The Kite Runner.
