So Much For That by Lionel Shriver
by Jenners • 11/05/2011 • 3.5 Stars, Audiobook, Contemporary, Fiction, S Authors, S Titles • 49 Comments
So Much For That written by Lionel Shriver and read by Dan John MillerPublisher: Brilliance Audio, 2010
Length: 17 hours and 17 minutes
Genre: Fiction, Contemporary
Where I Got It: Audible
Why I Read It: I’ve really enjoyed other Lionel Shriver books, particularly The Post-Birthday World and We Need To Talk About Kevin
My Rating: 3.5 stars
Book Description
Shep Knacker has spent most of his adult life preparing for “The Afterlife”—his shorthand for early retirement in a Third World country where his nest egg will last longer. Numerous research trips with his wife Glynis have narrowed down the options to an island off the coast of Africa. Yet Glynis always finds one reason or another to delay The Afterlife. Impatient to pull the trigger (after all, he sold his handyman company for $1 million a few years back and has been miserably slaving away for the asshat new owner since then), Shep decides he is ready to start enjoying The Afterlife NOW—even if that means going without Glynis and their teenage son Zack. With one-way tickets in hand, Shep girds himself to do battle with Glynis to convince her that he isn’t willing to wait any longer, that The Afterlife must begin now. However, it turns out that Glynis has news of her own—she’s been diagnosed with a rare but deadly form of cancer called peritoneal mesothelioma. What can a good husband do? Of course, Shep delays The Afterlife. Yet as the months tick by and the balance of his retirement account dwindles steadily due to mounting medical bills, Shep begins to realize that The Afterlife might never be in his grasp.
My Thoughts
You just never know what you are going to get with a Lionel Shriver book. After thrilling to the parallel universes in The Post-Birthday World and feeling depressed and disturbed after her stunning We Need To Talk About Kevin, I signed up for her latest book without hesitation. I so wish I’d listened to the reviews I’d read beforehand that said that the book felt more like a diatribe against the U.S. health-care system than a novel as So Much For That was a bit of a slog.
Shep’s best friend, Jackson, takes on the role of pissed-off ranter—launching on these epic rants about Mooches and Mugs (his favorite term for all the corrupt asshats who are sticking it to us idiots). These rants quickly grew tiresome, and I felt that Shriver let Jackson run on way too long. In addition, I thought the ending was unrealistic and uncharacteristic of Shriver. I honestly couldn’t believe how she ended the book. If there was ever a book made for an unhappy ending, this was it. Yet Shriver turned everything on its head and gave these very unlikable characters an almost fairytale ending that just didn’t jibe with the rest of the book. (Well, except for Jackson.)
That being said, Shriver is still is darn good writer. Her focus on little details and her way with words made this book tolerable. However, her writing skills often created vivid and graphic scenes that were almost too much for me to handle. At one point, when Shriver described some bodily functions plaguing Glynis, I felt my stomach turning with nausea. In addition, a subplot with Jackson’s botched surgery contained one too many graphic descriptions that almost turned me off of intimate relations forever. Let’s just say this: you’ll never look at an “Enlarge Your Penis” spam e-mails the same way again.
In the end, this book felt more like Shriver communicating an agenda rather than writing a novel. Still, the lady (yes … Lionel Shriver is a woman … it threw me off the first time I read her books) can write and that saved this from being a complete turn-off … but just barely.
About the Narration
I thought Dan John Miller did an excellent job narrating what must have been a difficult and long read. His voice was gripping, and I didn’t mind spending more than 17 hours listening to him. In fact, his narration may have kept me in the book longer than if I had read it in print. (I definitely would have skipped over almost any Jackson rant in the print version.) In addition, Miller created different voices for each character, including Shep, Glynis, Jackson and Jackson’s disabled daughter Flicka. (I’ll confess, when I first heard his voice for Flicka, it was a real turn-off and almost seemed like a parody. Yet, as I listened, I grew accustomed to it and thought perhaps the voice brought the character to life in a way she might not have come to life in the print version.) It was amazing to me how Miller could morph into each character’s voices and I’d know immediately who was talking … even between Shep and Jackson.
Recommended For
People who have an axe to grind against Big Government, the health-care system, politicians and the “system” in general … you’ll find an ally in Jackson! I honestly don’t know that I’d recommend this book to anyone. It wasn’t an easy read/listen, the characters were often unlikeable, and the “plot” felt more like a chance for Shriver to communicate an agenda rather than craft a cohesive and gripping narrative. (I’m not saying I disagree with Shriver’s agenda and criticisms. I just felt she bludgeoned the reader with it.) Although Shriver can write, she has written better books than this one.
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I have hesitated reading We Need to Talk About Kevin simply because I’m a chicken…it sounds like I would probably agree with a lot of the ranting but I try to stay optimistic in this pessimistic world so I think I shall skip this one….Maybe one day I will become brave and read We Need to Talk About Kevin. Til then I’ll just read your reviews of her books – I always love your reviews!
p.s. I adore Dan Miller too!
I’d definitely seek out this narrator for another book. If he can get me through this one, he can get me through anything!!
I hope you find the courage to read We Need To Talk About Kevin one day. Excellent book but also disturbing. It is being made into a movie now.
I was blown away by We Need to Talk About Kevin, though it took me about 100 pages to really get into the story. I’ve been wanting to read more by this author, but I think I’ll skip this one.
If you want to try more by her, I’d recommend The Post-Birthday World. It tells a story in parallel universes and I just found it fascinating. It’s kind of like the literary equivalent of the movie “Sliding Doors.”
I haven’t had luck with this author. I didn’t like Post-Birthday World. It was a DNF for me. I do have the Kevin book but have been hesitant to read it. I have no desire to read this one though, that I know.
Oh dear … I just adored The Post-Birthday World. On the plus side, We Need To Talk About Kevin is very different from The Post-Birthday World so you still have hope. Her books are all wildly different.
After reviewing books for a little while on my blog and having to force myself through books I really didn’t like, the one thing I won’t do anymore now that I read strictly for pleasure is to knowingly go into something slow. So this is a no for me.
You made a good decision. I’m very very picky about books I accept for review now that I’ve had a few stinkers that were torture to read.
A long winded rant gets old real fast with me. Thanks for your honest opinion. This doesn’t sound like a book I would read or listen to..
It got really old with me too. I don’t know what she was thinking!!
I am always impressed by how people are willing to stick with audiobooks longer than they would print novels. I wonder if it is out of subconscious respect for the narrator or something else? That’s too bad that this wasn’t quite what you hoped to experience. Author agendas can be tricky, even if the topic is worth discussing at length.
For me, the narrator’s voice was compelling enough to keep me in the book. It also helped that I was reading it for a challenge. I suspect I might have bailed on it if I’d read the print version as it wasn’t a short book!
I didn’t enjoy this book either. I agree that “this book felt more like Shriver communicating an agenda rather than writing a novel.” It was such a rant the whole way through and I felt like throwing it across the room. Let’s hope her next book is more like Kevin
I think she could have made many of the same points by telling the story rather than having Jackson (and even Beryl) go on and on and on. It didn’t feel like she trusted her story enough. I hope she returns to form in her next book.
Sounds strange but I wish more books would have an unhappy ending – as you say some books are just made for them.
This book was definitely made for an unhappy ending. I was shocked that it didn’t go that way. Everything pointed to it … and then it almost felt like a sellout by the author not to give it to them! Weird.
Thanks for warning me off this one. I have Post Birthday World sitting on my shelves so I’ll start with that. I remember hearing that Lionel was a woman but had forgotten.
I just adored The Post-Birthday World. It was my first book by Ms. Lionel and I suspect it might be her best. It was amazing.
I’m disappointed to hear this book isn’t as good as I was expecting. Although I think it will be college tuition for two kids at once (neither of which has any desire to ever graduate) that eats up our retirement, rather than medical bills – I was still looking forward to reading this. Maybe I’ll move it lower on the list.
I think college tuition could do it as well. State schools are looking really really good right now. : )
It’s a shame she couldn’t make the point about the healthcare system without beating people over the head with it – it likely would be more effective that way. It seems most people had difficulty with the book which means her message will not get out as successfully.
I do want to try one of her earlier books.
I think she could have accomplished a lot of the same stuff with the story rather than having one character be a ranter about it. I do think it hurt her message because it made the book a real struggle to read.
Lionel is a woman?? How odd!
I know!! It threw me off the first time I found out.
I have to admit that I don’t like books where I feel as though the author is pushing an agenda on me. I read a book like recently, The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham and as much as Wyndham remains one of my favourite authors, it was a little bit irritating. If I wanted to read something will a clear agenda and message I would read non-fiction. In my fiction I like it suitably disguised
I will read this book though, mainly because like you I think Lionel Shriver in a not too overblown way that a lot of literary writers are.
I do think that you can get an agenda across in a fiction book (even if I don’t want it) but I felt this didn’t quite get the story line right. It got overwhelmed by the agenda. But still, Shriver is such a good writer that I can forgive her an awful lot.
I don’t think I’ll be reading this one, although I did love We Need to Talk About Kevin and I am excited to read The Post Birthday World.
The Post-Birthday World is amazing and fun to read. I just loved it … and was hoping for a similar experience with this one.
This is probably one I will skip but I definitely want to read We Have to Talk About Kevin before the movie comes out. I saw the movie trailer recently and it looks like it is going to be as good as what people said about the book!
I’m so curious about the Kevin movie. If it is done right, it could be just amazing. It has a lot to live up to though!
Well I’ve been duly warned off of this one – thanks!
I loved Post-Birthday World. I have heard spectacular things about the Kevin book, but also that it is disturbing so I haven’t made up my mind about reading it yet.
I’d highly recommend the Kevin book despite its difficult subject matter. It is quite good and gets to you.
Too bad this book didn’t meet your expectations, I hate it when that happens. Thanks for your review.
It was disappointing but I’m still planning to read her future books.
Oh, what a disappointment. I loved A Post-Birthday World, but I think I’ll give this one a miss.
I know!! This was NOTHING like The Post-Birthday World sadly. I don’t expect her to write the same book over and over but I wasn’t expecting this.
Too bad this wasn’t great. Those graphic scenes would have made me nauseus too, I have a weak stomach for stuff like that.
The writer sounds talented though.
The writer is talented … and when she puts her mind to describing the horrors of what cancer can do to you, it can really make it feel real in a very disturbing way.
Jenners, you hit the nail right on the head with this one. The ranting got to be too much for me, and that surgery and it’s eventual outcome was so shocking that I almost had to stop reading! It was a tough book to get through, but I did like it, and I think had it been written with less bravery, and by any other author, I would have hated it. It was a weird book, that’s for sure. I took your advice and also read The Post-Birthday world (actually, it was a book club pick) and I loved it! So much to think about! So much to harness together! Though Shriver sometimes rants, she is a heck of a writer!
Glad to hear you had similar feelings! I can’t say I hated it because there was good stuff in there (even though the Jackson surgery almost made me sick). Like you, if it was anyone but Shriver, I don’t know if I would have stuck with it. I’m hoping her next book is very different!
Yeah, not sure this is my bag, right now. A little paranoid for me. But maybe another time…
It isn’t so much paranoid as just really getting some valid criticisms apart in a way that feels like you are being a bit bludgeoned when you wanted to read a novel!
I have to be in the right mode to read soapbooks; too much of an agenda throws me off when I’m normal. When I get all conspiracy theory-y though, I can really dig in to anti-government-agendad books.
I’ve never heard the term “soapbooks.” I love it. This was one!
I’m sure you know that I know it is spelled reAd not red (iPhone mistake) but just felt like I should clarify that LOL!
I’ve heard that before about this book that the author seemed to have an agenda she was using the book to tell. I haven red anything by her but I really want to read the other two so I think I’ll stick to those or now!
She is a really talented author … and the other two books are amazingly good!!
I like Dan John Miller as a narrator — a lot. A little ranting and raving over important issues (healthcare costs in America) is a good thing.
I would definitely listen to Dan John Miller again. If he can get me through this book, he can get me through anything. And I do think it is good to rant and rave about important issues … I just wasn’t expecting it in a novel!