I am reading the most truly wonderful book i have read in years!!!!!!!!!!I heard the author speak at the "Dublin Writers`festival" about a month ago and I was so moved by her reading of it and the book itself,that I simply had to go out and buy it."It" being "The post-birthday party" by Lionel Shriver.
it is simply a sumptuous read;intelligent,without being off-puttingly intellectual,beautifully written and so acutely aware of what makes women and to a lesser degree men tick.you find yourself nodding in agreement to all the internal monologues.
The novel tells the tale of Irina Mc Govern,a childrens`book illustrator,who takes out her "husbands" friend for dinner and afterwards,is tempted to kiss him.
but does she?it is on this seemingly frivolous whim ,that the entire novel is based.It follows two distictly separate storylines;one in which she does and one in which she does`nt,each one is utterly plausible,each one beautifully written so it is all up to you the reader to see which choice was best.
i found it an utterly beguiling read;she beautifully catches the cadences of ordinary speech,the petty pointless bickering of long-established relationships,the constant yearning for "another" (even when things are perfect)
lionel Shriver is funny.There are some fantastic one-liners in her book and you really will laugh out loud,or quietly chuckle.i really loved"one of the luxuries of which the underpriveleged were deprived in the United kingdom was consonants"
I think she is a superb writer and if you have ever wondered "What if"...........this is the perfect book for you!