From the back of the book -
"Shortly before his sixteenth birthday, Kevin Khatchadourian kills seven of his fellow high-school students, a cafeteria worker and a teacher. He is visited in prison by his mother, Eva, who narrates in a series of letters to her estranged husband, Franklin, her account of Kevin's upbringing."

At first I thought I was going to find this book really depressing, but I'm so glad I persevered with it - a really powerful piece of writing. I guessed the ending quite early on, but it was still shocking. This will stay with me for a long time, I think.

This one is going out on a bookring. Participants are:


FutureCat (NZ)
froggirlwendy (Aus)
Sugaryfun (Aus)
jblueafterglow (Can)
GorgeousGlo (USA)
Luintaurien (USA)
wyjane (UK)
Tazzell (UK)
jacksmum2004 (UK)
Back to me

WHEN YOU RECEIVE THE BOOK please make a journal entry so everyone knows it has safely arrived. Try to read the book within a month if possible, remember there are people waiting to read the book.
WHEN YOU FINISH THE BOOK, make another journal entry telling us what you thought - did you like it? Did you think it was well-written?
CONTINUE THE BOOKRING by sending a Private Message to the person after you on the bookring list and request their postal address.

Posted to FutureCat today.

Arrived safely in New Zealand today. I've just about finished the book I'm currently reading, so I should be able to make a start on this one within a few days.

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Like raeliz64, I guessed the ending early on, but I agree, that didn't detract from the power of the book. In fact, it was possibly a little too powerful - I was reading it while waiting for a bus this afternoon, and I realised I was watching a couple of teenage boys slouching nearby and wondering if they were potential Kevins... Not a book to make you think kindly of your fellow humans.

Anyway, a fascinating story, and I really liked the way that the author wasn't afraid to leave the big questions unanswered.

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Sorry, forgot to make a journal entry at the time, but I posted the book to froggirlwendy in mid-July.

HAND DELIVERED TODAY BY COURIER!!! YAY!!!! Happy dance. This book has been 'in transit' since July from NZ to Oz!?!? After much hassling of Australia Post it was finally tracked down in head office 'lost property' basket which is where property that is accidentally lost in the post office is sent. The only explanation I could get was that 'the packaging must have become damaged during sorting and the contents separated from the outer addressed packaging' and 'books are often accidentally left in post offices and are then sent to lost property' - I wonder how many other BXing books are in lost property baskets?? Funny point is that there is still a card in the front of the book from Raeliz64 - strange it never got separated as well.

Anyway..... thankyou so much to Raeliz64 & FutureCat for sending it my way and for your help in trying to track it down. Due to the long time it has already been on the loose, if I can't read it withone one week I will PM the next in line and send it on. Hugs.

I'm so glad it has been found.
Please don't worry about sending the book on quickly. Read and enjoy.

I struggled to get into this at first but once I did, it kept me interested. Yes, I also saw the ending coming but it didn't make the book any less enjoyable. Certainly enforces the point that most parents do the best job they know how to do and can still 'fail' for a lot of reasons. Thanks raeliz64 for sharing this one with me - so glad it didn't disappear into a postal black hole.

On its way to sugaryfun.

Just a quick note to say it arrived safely. I can't start reading it right away, as things are a tad hectic (it's near the end of uni semester for me and I have loads of assignments/exams) but I'll get on to it as soon as I can. Thanks to Raeliz, and to Froggirlwendy for sending it on.

I finished it this afternoon. Like Raeliz64 and FutureCat, I also guessed the ending pretty early on, but the story's well told, so that didn't matter. It's not a *pleasant* read, but it's impressive.

I've PM'd jblueafterglow for an address.

I'm really sorry, I meant to post this over a week ago, but I've found myself suddenly busy with work. I finally sent it this afternoon.

The book is here! Arrived today, much earlier than I expected it to. Thanks for sending it Sugaryfun, and for the postcard. I've traveled to and around Australia, but Brisbane was one place we didn't visit.

Sidenote - from when I first heard of this book, until five minutes ago when I looked at the first couple of pages, I had thought the author was male. I blame Lionel Richie.

Was about to start a new book. Now it will be this one.

Finished this morning. I was reading just a little at a time at first, but consumed more at each reading as the story progressed. Like most (all?) of you before me, I guessed the ending early on. My mom had kept raving about this book since reading it many months ago, calling it the best book she's read in years. It was the style of writing that she loved. And the nature/nuture thing. There were a lot of little things I liked about this book. Kevin's character was well-formed, through the many stories of his childhood, looked at from both parents' differing points of view. The theme of meaninglessness was well done.

Thanks raeliz64 and Sugaryfun. I'll be PMing GorgeousGlo right now...

GorgeousGlo asked to be skipped. The book is being put in the mail tomorrow - destination Luintaurien.

It was interesting having Kevin and his mom make many references to other school shootings, all of which actually happened. The names of the Columbine students, and Kip Kinkel, were instantly recognizable.

Also, I recommend the movie Elephant, which focuses on the same topic - Tagline: An ordinary high school day. Except that it's not.

Got it today. Thank you. Will read and pass on ASAP.

Sending out when I get the address.

soulbalm asked to be skipped. Pming the next person

teachie asked to be skippied. PMing the next person.