A review by paulsnelling
The Standing Chandelier by Lionel Shriver

5.0

No book can answer the question of can men and women be friends. But it does shed clear white light on whether these three can be friends. Shriver's prose and observations are razor sharp, and though I couldn't help but wonder whether better communication all round might have helped (it always does), there was an inevitability to the quickly developing plot. The characters are well enough drawn that I couldn't help but identify favourites and areas of blame-worthiness. They are all self absorbed I wondered about genuine connection, there seemed to a disconnection between what had to be done and how it was done. There was more than a shred of callousness which perhaps we all have potential for. There's enough here for a full novel, and it would to great on stage. Highly recommended.