The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year by Sue Townsend

I spotted this book when I was killing time in Coles before meeting a friend. Sometimes I get a feeling about a book when I pick it off the shelf.  I was drawn to this novel.   
The characters are not all likable, but there are interesting and believable in that they are not supposed to all be likable, as many people in real life are not all that likable all the time.
Eva, is a mother and wife who has given all her time and energy to caring for others.  Once her twins, Brian Junior and Brianne, go off to University Eva is overcome by the urge to get into bed without even taking off her high heels.  The longer she stays in bed the less she is able to leave it.
To the dismay of her husband, her mother, her mother-in-law and her children Eva refuses to leave her bed for any reason; be it food, water, and even toys with the notion of not even leaving to go to the bathroom.  Evan uses this time to think and become an observer in life, instead of a participant.  Over time Eva becomes a giver of advice to strangers and discovers the possibility to new love.
The Woman Who Went to Be For a Year is an interesting look at how life can change around us even when we don't participate, or in the case of Eva get out of bed.  The characters provide a good range of perspective on the situation and events that occur in the novel.  Though as the book progressed I found myself annoyed with the characters and the last few chapters of the novel did not seem to have the same flow as the rest of the novel.  Sadly, this book is not really worth reading, as there are much better novels out there.  The novel falls flat from its promising beginnings and the characters development is static at best.

We Need To Talk About Kevin Review by Lionel Shriver

I have to admit I was remiss about reading this book.  The topic is less than appealing.  Reading the history about a boy, who murders eight people (6 students, a cafeteria worker, and a teacher), and his mother.  Since Kevin's birth his mother, Eva, has struggled to love him.  He seemed a strange and increasingly vicious child.  The story is told from the view point of Eva two years after Kevin's horrific crime.  His mother is lost in a world that is devoid of career, husband or friends.  She is only left with her son, whom she visits faithfully even though their relationship has always been strained.

The book is a haunting read and I found it difficult to put it down. It was one other those rare books that stayed with you when you weren't reading it and after the last page was turned I yearned for more.  I highly recommend this novel.  Though it is an uncomfortable read at times, not only due to Kevin's behaviour, but Eva's frank and sometimes complete distain for her own child. The relationship between mother and son is strange and complicated and their shared history is full of odd incidences, frustration and earth shattering sadness.