A review by zeelee
Big Brother by Lionel Shriver

3.0

Unsure how to rate this book. It kept me wanting to reading at times other than just the usual allotted half hour or so before bed; I was always wanting to pick it up. That being said, the writing style irked me (unnecessarily pompous). I disliked all the characters - pretentious, selfish, and somehow wooden, despite the amount of time that was spent describing them. None of their actions really made sense to me, especially Fletcher's lack of understanding for his wife's commitment to her sibling. I also didn't enjoy the creepy yet very subtle vibe that incest may be lurking around the corner at any moment. The story itself was somewhat unrealistic and the ending I would've considered a complete let-down if not for reading an article justifying Shriver's use of it. Within the context of her personal experience, I can see why she wrote it the way she did, but unfortunately it means the entire meaning of the book is relegated to the last few pages.