The Post-Birthday World
Format: hardcover
ISBN:
9780061187841 (0061187844)
ASIN: 0061187844
Publish date: 2007-03-13
Publisher: Harper
Pages no: 528
Edition language: English
I think the ending was a bit of a cheat. Having her husband die sanctified Irina's marriage and allowed her to construct her choice to marry and stay with Ramsey as the right choice; as the only choice that would lead to happiness. Exploring an ending that allowed Ramsey to live and explored whether...
The book, I found, has a tendency to lean towards the gimmicky. Instead of fully exploring two divergent, independent universes, the narrative is limited to a kind of bizarro, mirror universe. If Irina has hot sex in one timeline, then she has tepid sex in the second one. If she starts an argument, ...
Reading other people's petty arguments is dull, and I found the parallels between the 'good' and 'bad' Irina chapters lacking subtlety.
My friend introduced me to Lionel Shriver by saying, "You need to read The Post-birthday World. Wait, read We Need to Talk about Kevin first. I'm not sure you'd appreciate Birthday without Kevin." I did as she asked, and I honestly can't recommend any novel by Lionel Shriver highly enough. Her writi...
A fascinating book, but also a very sad book - like a more depressing version of Sliding Doors.I loved the concept - chapter 1 was an introduction, leading up to the fork in the road, and from then on every chapter was repeated, following first the life of one Irina, then the life of another. I defi...
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