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Should We Stay or Should We Go

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Should We Stay or Should We Go

By: Lionel Shriver
Narrated by: Hannah Curtis
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About this listen

A best fiction book of 2021 for The Times

‘Hilarious… Fiery phrases spit and crackle. Disgust expands and bursts into belly laughs… a very funny book’ Sunday Times

‘Thought-provoking, timely, and extremely funny’ Metro

‘Shriver said that her favourite novels are those that pack both an intellectual and emotional punch. With Should We Stay or Should We Go, she’s added triumphantly to their number’ The Times

‘Witty and thought-provoking’ Woman’s Weekly

‘I think Shriver’s novels are wonderful… fun, smart and, perhaps because of their author’s unconventional political views, unlike anything else you’ll read’ Financial Times

‘Entertaining and poignant’ Daily Mail

‘Very moving… Shriver has the magic ability to make the reader invested in the fate – fates, I should say – of her characters’ Daily Telegraph

‘Wickedly witty’ Spectator

‘Decidedly timely’ Scotsman

‘This sharp-elbowed satire is also a brusquely tender portrait of enduring love’ Washington Post

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Determined to die with dignity, Kay and her husband Cyril – both healthy and vital medical professionals in their early fifties – make a pact: to commit suicide together once they’ve both turned eighty.

A lot can change in thirty years, however…

By turns hilarious and touching, playful and grave, Should We Stay or Should We Go portrays twelve parallel universes, each exploring a possible future for Kay and Cyril. Do they honour their agreement? And if not, will they live to regret it?

‘Some books become so popular that the lucky author can thereafter churn out any old cobblers, confident in the knowledge that it will be published and find an audience. Lionel Shriver never took that easy route’ Irish Independent

©2021 Lionel Shriver (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
Family Life Fiction Literary Fiction Satire Comedy Witty

What listeners say about Should We Stay or Should We Go

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining, thought provoking

A well considered and thought provoking meditation on the multiple unintended scenarios stemming from the best and worst decisions. Shriver, as always, has steady and consistent control of her characters and her story. From the imaginative to the mundane, a fascinating exploration of aging and end of life decisions. Highly recommended.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Perfectly timed

Truly confronting and extremely thought provoking. Written with the insight and honesty that is typical of Shriver, this one had me thinking about it as I went about my daily life, and will stay with me for some time yet.
With the world the way it is, this book could not have been timed any better.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Disappointing and Bizarre

It was a plod to complete.

A friend had recommended the text as she found it thought provoking. Indeed, so did I which is why I gritted my teeth and stayed the course to the end.

I am left with much greater consideration of the basic premise thanks to LS. A lot of interesting points bundled together for my perusal. However, the storyline felt cobbled together and without any compelling reason to engage with the characters. I have, previously, been enthralled with - We Have To Talk About Kevin. Hence choosing DISAPPOINTING as part of my tag line.

For the first 30% of the text, the voice performance performance annoyed and distracted me. The frequent diabolical mispronunciation of relatively familiar vocabulary was jarring. Hence choosing BIZZARE as part of my tag line.

Then, I decided to make a virtue of necessity. If I was determined to finish the piece, I would need to change my attitude to avoid more irritation. So, for the balance of the tale, I looked forward eagerly to the next glaring spoken error and hugely enjoyed the ludicrous attempts at sounding out common words.

What a pity the producer failed to rehearse the performer sufficiently.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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Did not enjoy at all

I’ve always liked Lionel Shriver but this book was boring and silly from about half way to the very end. I struggled to finish it and was relieved once I had. So disappointed in the book. I did not enjoy the various scenarios. They just came across as ridiculous and far fetched! What a stupid couple they were.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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Long winded story with poor narration

This could have been a short story. Was the narrator AI? Mispronunciations were so common.
Elements of interest in the story but not enough.

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