So Much for That

The extraordinary new novel from the Orange Prize winning author of 'We Need to Talk About Kevin'. What do you pack for the rest of your life? Shepherd Knacker is bored with his humdrum existence. He's sold his successful handy-man business for a million dollars and is now ready to embark on his 'Afterlife' - a one way ticket to a small island off the coast of Africa. He tries to convince his wife Glynis to come with him, but she laughs off the idea as preposterous.There's no way she'll let Shepherd uproot the family to some far-flung African island. When Glynis is diagnosed with an extremely rare and aggressive form of cancer, Shepherd's dreams of an exotic adventure are firmly put on hold. He devotes himself to caring for his sick wife, watching her fade before his eyes. Shepherd's best friend Jackson knows all too well about illness. His sixteen year old daughter has spent her life dosed up on every treatment going while he and his wife Carol feed their youngest daughter sugar pills so she won't feel left out. But then Jackson undergoes a medical procedure of his own which has devastating consequences ! So Much For That is a deeply affecting novel, told with Lionel Shriver's trademark originality, intelligence and acute perception of the human condition.

About the Author :
Lionel Shriver's novels include the New York Times bestseller The Post-Birthday World and the international bestseller We Need to Talk About Kevin, which won the 2005 Orange Prize and has now sold over a million copies worldwide. Earlier books include Double Fault, A Perfectly Good Family, and Checker and the Derailleurs. Her novels have been translated into twenty-five different languages. Her journalism has appeared in The Guardian, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. She lives in London.

Review :
Wide-ranging, sometimes zany and unpredictable, this is a compelling read. And however many twists Shriver shoves in, you always believe her. The Times Many people will like Lionel Shriver's ninth novel -- admirers of gripping and clever contemporary fiction, discerning critics and, if there is any justice, literary prize committees. Guardian Shriver proves she is not afraid of anything! Observer It's a wonder that subject matter on the surface so bleak can be transformed into something so uplifting. Daily Telegraph Yes, a brilliantly funny cancer book! You can rely on Lionel Shriver to upend your expectations. Daily Express Required reading for all mortals. Daily Mail !witty, observant and beautifully controlled. British readers will close this excellent novel feeling grateful for the NHS. Literary Review !a visceral and deeply affecting story, a story about how illness affects people's relationships, and how their efforts to grapple with mortality reshape the arcs of their lives. Michiko Kakutani, New York Times Shriver rounds off this stark, strident novel with an unexpected comic flair. TLS In the end, the reader feels a long-distance trekker's exhilarated fatigue at completing this strutting, savage, well-crafted masterpiece. Financial Times Shriver!tackles her multifaceted plot with energy and grit. She can and does hold forth smartly on any number of subjects, both topical and esoteric. New York Times Book Review If Jodi Picoult has her finger on the zeitgeist, Shriver has her hands around its throat. Washington Post Shriver is great on the mutable nature of relationships and her prose is sharp and pacy. Vogue A timely, well-observed critique of the healthcare system in the US. Grazia A moving story of how illness can turn families upside down and yet bring them closer together. Tatler !Lionel Shriver is on stellar, thought-provoking form with the outstanding So Much For That. In Style Warm, readable and incredibly humane. Stylist