The Post-Birthday World: A Novel (P.S.)

THE POST-BIRTHDAY WORLD, by Lionel Shriver (who's a "she," not a "he"), is quite simply one of the best novels I've ever read. This magical tour-de-force plays with the idea that has probably crossed everyone's mind at one time or another: that some of the humdrum decisions we make can have life-altering consequences. (Should I move to a new city to accept a job? Or should I stay where I am and get a new job? How different would my life have been if I'd never met the man who is now my husband?) The novel, set in London in an unspecified past, examines those questions. Not only does Shriver give us a fully-rounded protagonist in Irina McGovern, an illustrator of children's books,which is a marvel in itself--but she then presents Irina with a moral dilemma in the person of snooker superstar Ramsey Acton. The dilemma is this: with Lawrence, Irina's partner for many years, off on a think-tank junket in Sarajevo, should Irina invite Ramsey to dinner in a continuation of their five-year-long tradition? And afterwards, both of them drunk and powerfully, ruinously drawn to one another, should she accept the kiss she badly wants him to give her?At this point the novel really takes off. (The epigraph is as follows: "'Nobody's perfect.' KNOWN FACT.") Shriver shows us Irina's future should she deny the kiss and stay partnered with the brilliant but emotionally inept Lawrence, and Irina's future should she accept Ramsey's kiss. Shriver is an imaginative, accomplished, and very funny writer. Anybody who's been hungering for a good read will relish getting lost among the characters of this book as they explore the subtleties of ideas such as, how much is safety worth in a marriage? Is it worth a career? Whose career? It's been a long time since I have been so powerfully and so thoroughly drawn into a fictional world.

I loved this book and still hated it at times. In the end, it left me thinking. What more can you ask? It's absolutely perfect for a book club - both for the reasons it's likeable and for those that it's not:I loved the writing!: I've never read a Shriver book, so maybe unlike others I'm not disillusioned by comparison to others - but WOW, CAN SHE WRITE. Few authors could carry this ambitious concept off well.I loved the univeral theme and concept: The passionate, temptuous roller-coaster ride of love or the relaxed, dependable love that's like an old, comfy sweater? Which is really best? Who in the end is the best choice? Both come with their ups and downs. What woman hasn't faced this?????I loved the clever writing - particularly when the protaganist (and I don't think this is a spoiler) as a children's illustrator creates 2 different themed children's books that parallel the novel - WOW!I loved that I still thought about and debated which was the best of her choice- long after the last page. Even though, deep inside, I wished SHriver had told me her answer.I hated that both of the heroine's choices had terrible, abusive flaws. It would have been better, if she'd made both choices more likable. Though, in the end, I've decided she was illustrating that the "grass is always greener on the other side". Each choice is more likable when she's not with them.And what I hated about it is also what makes it so great for endless pondering and discussion. What route should our heroine have chosen --- it's up to you. Fascinating reading!Bottom Line: I think if you liked  Sliding Doors  or  The Time Traveler's Wife , you'll really like this one!

In the end, I liked this book...in spite of myself. I admit, I judged the book by its cover; something about it made me suspect I wouldn't like it. But, first impressions don't always stand. I liked the author's writing style for the most part, and I thought the execution of the story was pretty clever and interesting.Although plot and style compelled me to keep turning pages, the Puritan in me was repeatedly annoyed with our culture's apparent inability to produce a writer who understands - or is disciplined enough to practice - the art of subtly. And I believe "art" is an appropriate word, as it takes more talent, skill and inspiration to be cleverly and scrumptiously subtle than it does to be plainly obscene. And this book was just downright obscene at times. Because I am not currently immersed fifty hours a week in the world of high school teens like I was last year, I've found that my immunity to withstand the constant barrage of gratuitously vulgar and meaningless words has really weakened. The author induced a cringe in me at least once every few pages.At the risk of sounding like a prude, this book made me lament the absence of writers who had more at their disposal than a toolbox of four-letter words to describe the sensual. It seems that authors from former times were able to discuss intimate subject matter in a much more discreet and subtle way. This delicate touch often required the author to employ an impressive degree of creativity and sensitivity when dealing with these fleshly topics. Where are these authors today? Why do we no longer seem to produce poems like John Donne's "The Flea" or Shakespeare's 129th sonnet? Where are all the Zora Neale Hurstons to write more scenes reminiscent of the one with Janie under the pear tree? I'm sure these authors raised a few Puritan eyebrows in their own day, but at least they made a reader work for the flush of crimson to his cheeks. The sensual was not always immediately apparent, but shrouded in metaphor, imagery and compelling word choice. My problem is not with the sauciness necessarily, but with the way it's so crassly delivered these days, as if readers no longer possessed any kind of imagination. I guess I shouldn't be surprised; our culture is oriented toward the instantly gratifying in more ways than one. The older I get, the less I'm impressed.But, in spite of myself, I can't say I hated the book. The characters kept me engaged, and it even made me cry a bit toward the end...in spite of myself, of course.

Due to my personal relation to the FMC’s situation, I was very much into this book. The only thing that prevented me from finishing it within one day was that it’s a nightmare to read for a non-native speaker :) Every third word is one I’ve literally never heard before. I’ll definitely read it again not only because of this but also for the very interesting perspective. This book helped me a lot to appreciate my current situation, give up the self-destroying “what if” thoughts and accept the decision I made earlier.

A what-if epic about a life and the other life, the one that did not happen, the one unlived. For those readers who are into every day's details, the details which make (and sometimes break) a life. I loved it.

I am a little conflicted about this book. I actually really love snooker and enjoyed all of the exquisite details of the sport but I struggled with the accent of Ramsey Acton, the other man, which was a hodge podge of the northwest, Yorkshire, northeast and London/Mockney. Although this is ultimately explained, it drove me at times to abandon reading the book as I could not grasp how Shriver had captured so much with accurate detail and yet neglected this accent. However, having just finished the book 10 minutes ago and being gripped throughout (except for Ramsey's speech) then I have to be fair and say that this is a good book. Typically for the author, the lead protagonist is 'difficult to like' and with that undeniably human and, as such, believable. Shriver's writing is literary, and reading on my Kindle, I was glad of the dictionary function. Her writing is well crafted and beautiful, and the more I think about it, the accent of Ramsey that caused me such consternation, was, in fact, rather clever.

I loved this story about one married woman who had to decide whether to resist an attractive man and whose life would have been different depending on her choice. Excellent writing as usual, apart from the writer's usual peculiar version of British speech patterns and vocab, which are not like those of any Brit I have ever met (and I am British).

Some books just seem to grip hold of you and not let go. Thus it was with this book and me. I have not read " Kevin". I have read and been similarly gripped by So Much for That. The reasons here were the characters, the sense of time and place and all the twisted emotions of the cleverly written tale.It resonated with some of my own life experiences and it made me near-tears at least twice. I felt keenly for all the characters, the successes, the joys and the pains. This book is very good at describing emotional pain, it is truly visceral in parts.For me, it was about the myth of the Butterfly Wing beat. What effects would a decision have and would it matter in the final reckoning of life ? Life is messy, love is messy. Our drivers and needs push us all different ways at different times.Highly recommended but do prepared to become a little obsessed with this book until you are properly over it.