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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Started out enjoyable and fun, but around the 3/4 mark, it devolved into pretty blatantly outrageous racism and xenophobic histrionics.
Aan het begin vond ik dit een prachtig boek over ouder worden en een geweldige beschrijving van het echtpaar Cyril en Kay. Ze besluiten, na een lang ziekbed van een van hun ouders een limiet aan hun eigen leven te stellen en spreken af om eruit te stappen als de jongste 80 wordt. Dat lukt niet omdat de vrouw, Kay, op het laatst haar dochter waarschuwt. Prachtig verhaal, mooi opgeschreven. Daarna komen er oeverloos veel alternatieve eindes en ontwikkelingen die steeds platter en politieker worden en steeds minder gelaagd. Ik was te dicht bij het einde om het op te geven, maar op een gegeven moment vond ik het wel mooi geweest, alsof het de bedoeling was dat de schrijfster je via dergelijke moeizame literatuur wilde laten ervaren hoe het voelt om te verlangen naar niet meer hoeven lijden. Op het moment dat de schrijfster zichzelf als personage opvoert (weliswaar als nare betweter die haar lezers terroriseert) nam het narcisme van het eigen grote gelijk mij iets te groteske vormen aan. Jammer, want ik vind dat ze prachtig kan schrijven.
Different scenarios of how Kay and Cyril choose to die when she turns 80 so as to avoid her becoming demented as her father did.
I am unsure whether I thought this book was good or not. Plenty to think about but also a lot of cynicism and bitterness running underneath the writing. There were some humorous moments; references to current historic events such as the pandemic, brexit etc but I also found it a bit tedious
I am unsure whether I thought this book was good or not. Plenty to think about but also a lot of cynicism and bitterness running underneath the writing. There were some humorous moments; references to current historic events such as the pandemic, brexit etc but I also found it a bit tedious
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is fucking depressing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt
Not what I expected. Was there a hot button topic this book didn't touch? Very wordy language but the tongue in cheek tone kept it interesting.
Shriver has admitted that she tackles "precisely the subjects that everyone yearns to avoid”. The subject of Should we Stay or Should we Go is one of those, namely old age and how to deal with it.
The story opens when the couple, Cyril and Kay, who both work for the British National Health Service, are in their 50s. Kay's father has recently passed away after a long period of dementia and Kay is so worn out she cannot even feel pain at his loss. At this point Cyril comes up with his infamous suggestion that they make a pact to exit from the world once Kay reaches 80, as it appears to them - and this is where their experience in the health service comes in - that most lives go downhill from there on. The bulk of the novel concerns the period when they do reach that critical date and pursues a series of scenarios, some more realistic than others, but all treated in a fairly light-hearted way, which is even funny at times, of what happens at that stage.
The story is set in England on purpose, as it is, at present, a country where any form of assisted suicide is illegal. This rules out what might appear to be the most sensible option of consulting with family members at an appropriate point. Indeed, the reaction of the children of Kay and Cyril in those scenarios where the pact is foiled or avoided, is not such as to inspire much confidence in their support were there to be a different legal framework.
Shriver has said that she believes that fiction, rather than opinion pieces, is a more powerful instrument for changing people's minds. While she limits herself in this novel to presenting us with the scenarios without any overt recommendation, she certainly provides much food for thought. We are all going to get older and how we face the inevitable does need to be addressed.
The story opens when the couple, Cyril and Kay, who both work for the British National Health Service, are in their 50s. Kay's father has recently passed away after a long period of dementia and Kay is so worn out she cannot even feel pain at his loss. At this point Cyril comes up with his infamous suggestion that they make a pact to exit from the world once Kay reaches 80, as it appears to them - and this is where their experience in the health service comes in - that most lives go downhill from there on. The bulk of the novel concerns the period when they do reach that critical date and pursues a series of scenarios, some more realistic than others, but all treated in a fairly light-hearted way, which is even funny at times, of what happens at that stage.
The story is set in England on purpose, as it is, at present, a country where any form of assisted suicide is illegal. This rules out what might appear to be the most sensible option of consulting with family members at an appropriate point. Indeed, the reaction of the children of Kay and Cyril in those scenarios where the pact is foiled or avoided, is not such as to inspire much confidence in their support were there to be a different legal framework.
Shriver has said that she believes that fiction, rather than opinion pieces, is a more powerful instrument for changing people's minds. While she limits herself in this novel to presenting us with the scenarios without any overt recommendation, she certainly provides much food for thought. We are all going to get older and how we face the inevitable does need to be addressed.
I like this type of novel, the use of alternative narratives is intelligent and entertaining. The subject of the book is a really interesting question.