Shriver’s new novel deals with old age and death. It’s a philosophical work, and also manages to include the COVID-19 pandemic. It explores different themes and ideas by replaying the last years of a married couple, Kay and Cyril, with different possible outcomes. The range of possibilities includes some science fiction scenarios. 

When Kay’s father dies after a long illness, the couple discuss how they might avoid such a long undignified end that places a huge burden on family members doing the care work. Cyril proposes that they both kill themselves when Kay turns 80. The stories explore how that plan might work out.

The central plot is structured to facilitate the big issues. Cyril is a doctor in Britain’s National Health Service, and is acutely conscious of the pressures that the care of old people puts on the service. He is an old fashioned liberal and decries the policies of the UK conservative government. He is furious about Brexit, but also realizes that it won’t have much effect on him because he is at the tail end of his life. Cyril tends to give lots of little speeches, setting out ideas that Shriver wants to explore. 

Kay and Cyril have three children, and while they are relatively close, there are limits to how much sacrifice the children are willing to make for their parents. Their son Roy is especially interested in getting his hands on their money, and is not keen on them using it all up. 

Should We Stay or Should We Go isn’t great on characterization. The dialog is easy and often funny, with occasional moments of pathos. Often one is left feeling that Shriver is engaged in a game with her readers, but it is a satisfying one. The whole book is cerebral, but it is clever and thought provoking. 

The book addresses issues in medical ethics: competence, consent, quality of life, responsibility to children, and responsibility to society. But it also addresses whether a long life is really desirable and whether the laws designed to protect the old can be used against them. Philosophy teachers might consider getting students to read the novel. Note that it is very much set in the UK though, and many of the cultural and political references might not mean much to readers from elsewhere. 

Christian Perring teaches medical ethics to undergraduates in New York.

Categories: Fiction, AudioBooks

Keywords: fiction, audiobook, old age