I have known Lionel Shriver for years as a journalist writing in a variety of journals, magazines and newspapers. Lionel is female and was born Margaret Ann. At age 15 and already a fledgling writer she changed her name as she felt this would bring her more respect. I find this a little dispiriting as one would have hoped we had moved on from the times of George Eliot, the Brontes and even JK Rowling, all of whom were persuaded that their writing would be more successful if they hid their femininity. Anyway, ‘We need to talk about Kevin’ was not a first novel but it was Shriver’s first successful novel, actually phenomenally so. I haven’t read it, for no particular reason, just not drawn to it.
Moving on, a friend, with no prior discussion, sent me ‘A Better Life’, telling me to pass it on if I wished and not to worry if I didn’t like it …or even didn’t finish it. I started to read it and found the prose very well structured, acerbic, opinionated, all descriptions I would associate with Shriver. My goodness, I have gasped at some of her articles and wondered how much hate mail she receives. I felt I was reading some good political satire and even found it quite funny…until it wasn’t.
Remember how we were encouraged to bring Ukrainian refugees into our homes? Shriver takes the situation in New York City some years ago and enlarges on it. People were asked to accept refugees into their families and make them welcome. The city offered migrant workers money, accommodation, medical facilities and education. The generosity was like an open invitation.
Gloria Bonaventura, from her sprawling house in Brooklyn, makes the decision to take part in the city’s programme : Big Apple, Big Heart. Martine arrives, polite, helpful, hardworking. Gloria is delighted but her son is very sceptical. Maybe he has a point as Martine’s various compatriots arrive at the house. Nobody breaks in of course, the door is opened for them. They are not stealing surely as they help themselves to food from the fridge, or to the son’s laptop and maybe they are just borrowing the car.
The ending felt a little like that of a modern fairytale and I couldn’t quite decide if it worked. Shriver very cleverly extrapolates and exaggerates the situation, all the while to make her own political point.
I’m glad I read this book and it provided much material for discussion but I don’t think I will be seeking out any more of her novels.