A Perfectly Good Family review

[alobear]

I've read and enjoyed two other Lionel Shriver books, so I thought I'd make it three with A Perfectly Good Family.  As with the other two, the writing is excellent, with particularly good characterisation of the narrator and in depth analysis of the other characters.  The plot is quite simple - three siblings fighting over the inheritance of their parents' house, but Shriver imbues the tale with a great deal of depth.  I wasn't that keen on most of the characters, and I thought the ending was rather contrived and unconvincing, but she really can write.

Comments

[quintus-marcius.livejournal.com]

In case she didn't tell you in an introduction, the characters are basically Lionel Shriver's own family, although the plot is made up. Apparently it caused a fair bit of aggro when it was published.

[alobear.livejournal.com]

So I had heard - in which case, I feel rather sorry for her, as I wasn't keen on either of her brothers, and the parents sounded like a total nightmare!