So Much For That - Lionel Shriver

So Much For That - Lionel Shriver (2010)

I may be one of the few readers that was underwhelmed with her most famous novel, We Need to Talk About Kevin. I found it long winded and ending up skipping pages, which may not have helped me understand the story better.

I liked the premise of this one, and was quick to order it from the library. Shep has made a million dollars, and is in the process of decamping from his standard life and moving to a remote island where he calculates the money will let him live for the rest of his life. Just as he is about to leave, his wife gets diagnosed with a rare cancer, and the plans change.

That's the gist of the story. It wasn't a cheery read, it became a bit grim, but I did become astonished at the moral and ethical dilemmas posed. What if you didn't have a million bucks in the bank, how on earth would you afford health care? When is enough enough, when do you say I'm not getting any benefits from the treatment?

I liked the ending, I think she had a great idea for a beginning and an end to her story, but the middle just made me depressed. 3/5