Although infidelity is hardly new, stories of affairs are in
the news and tabloids constantly. Thus, a novel on the topic can hardly be fresh
and entertaining material, right? Usually this might be the case, but author
Lionel Shriver?s take on the subject in her novel, ?The Post-Birthday World,? transcends
the topic to make it readable and, above all, actually enjoyable.
In the novel, the reader is taken down two separate paths,
representing the crossroads faced by the protagonist, Irina. To begin, we find
that the friendship that sparked between self-described ?think-tanker? Lawrence
Trainer, his long-time partner, Irina, and feminist Jude Acton began when Irina
created the illustrations for Jude?s latest children?s book. This threesome
then became four when Jude?s husband, Ramsey, a famous snooker player
(?snooker? being the obscure British term describing competitive pool), joined
the group.
As is tradition in British culture, statements such as ?We
really must get together sometime? are not to be taken at face value. In this
instance, something that had began as a coincidence had morphed into tradition.
The gathering of the two couples for Ramsey?s birthday, for example, had always
been the social event which kept the group connected. Shriver?s story centers
on this annual celebration, using the interwoven relationships between each
character to tell a compelling tale about love in our modern world.
The plot really begins after numerous years of this
once-a-year party, the events of the most recent past year having caused
significant changes in the group?s dynamic. The Actons have gotten a divorce
and Lawrence had to take leave to go on a business trip to Sarajevo. With small
calculations done, this means that Irina and Ramsey are left alone to celebrate
his birthday. After one too many drinks, Irina and Ramsey?s friendship
crystallized into something more.
In what becomes a battle between good and evil, Irina
struggles over where her loyalties truly lie. She must choose between a husband
who has strict morals and is very content with the monotonous life they live
and the dangerous, foreboding life of a snooker player, who are notorious for
sleeping around. Leaving Irina with an it?s-him-or-me ultimatum, Ramsey hops
town on a snooker tournament, and she returns home to figure things out.
While entranced in Irina?s predicament, the reader can?t
help but feel sorry for Lawrence, the man who has seemingly done nothing wrong.
He is always there for Irina and their healthy sex life is definitely something
most middle-aged women long for. This leaves the reader to wonder, ?Why on earth
would she leave that?? Especially for someone she isn?t entirely sure she can
depend on.
Shriver uses these conflicting sides in a rather unusual
way, devoting a chapter each to the rivals. Labeling them both with the same
number, the reader can get an inside look at both sides of the argument and
decide for themselves which one is reality. This organization is an intriguing
way to go about this type of predicament, but it is also difficult to
understand at first. The extensive vocabulary, style and unfamiliar British
idioms make this a tough read. Though, in surviving the hard-to-swallow
language, ?The Post-Birthday World? is very well done. The story utterly
engulfs the reader, making them unable to set the book down.
The clash between American and British, and Irina?s own
troubles, make the plot refreshing and interesting.
Shriver does a great job of getting inside Irina?s head. The
writing is adult in both content and language, but it is an engaging read, even
comparable to the witty ?Bridget Jones?s Diary.? Many British novels are placed
under such scrutiny and never are quite able to meet the standards placed upon
them by spoiled American society, but the intermingling of the two cultures
certainly exceeds expectations.
?
4 stars out of 5
