“You know, I’m a little tired of being told how ‘privileged’ I am,” -Remingston Alabaster
"I don’t want to be told I’m privileged. That word, I’m sick of it.” -Lionel Shriver

I was unable to finish this book which is an obvious treatise on the author's own real life villification for racist and wildly insensitive comments via several outlets. I suspected it would be the case when Serenata and her husband Remington Alabaster (the Whites, natch) conveniently slip these familiar musings into their own conversations. In fact the spouses both find themselves embroiled in separate discriminatory controversies just to further belabour the point.

In The Motion of the Body Through Space I was treated to not just racism but also misogny, transphobia, ableism and sexism before I had to give up, convinced the entire book is just a massive troll from an author seeking to willfully bait her detractors. A sad final shriek to either drum up a bit of publicity or just do a bit of button mashing.

Wonderfully descriptive, empathetic writing and an engrossing story again from this author. She takes themes common to all of us we age and explores them with such depth and understanding that everyone who reads this book will be able to find so much that relates to themselves, what ever their age. Our ageing bodies and minds do such bizarre things to us and to our relationships and Shriver explores this concept with breathtaking use of language, and with sympathy and understanding, drawing her characters with such skill that the reader can’t help but form relationships with the two main protagonists, and can’t help but be irritated and despairing of the oddballs and obsessives who populate the outer layers of the story. A truly remarkable book and a real joy to read on so many different levels - I am in awe of an author who can produce such writing.

First of all, thank you to the publisher for having allowed me to read this in return for an honest review. Thank you, also, to the author for having written this touching exploration of a body, its ‘inhabitant’, and said inhabitant’s experience of her body moving through space - and time.

I thought this novel was exquisitely written and moving. I loved Serenata’s personality, I felt like I knew her and absolutely adored her sense of humor and way of seeing the world; the way her character ‘evolved’ through the years too and, of course, her relationship with Remington - himself a fascinating (thought also exasperating!) character. As people, they both seemed to be contending with their own limits, in different though also similar ways.

I read this novel slowly (for me, at least) and savored every page. The story is one I think I will long remember. It opened my eyes to new feelings, new ways of seeing the world, new ways to appreciate the very real (though never guaranteed!) fact of aging, while basking in the temporary nature of our shared though at the same time profoundly lonely existence.

It was a wonderful read. Thank you again.

Have you reached that age yet when all of the men around you take up running, cycling or even worse triathlons? Men, who up til this point, have been interesting, a laugh and good for a glass of wine suddenly become lycra clad bores. They stop drinking, they disappear for hours on end and absolve themselves of familial responsibility. Marriages are discarded at the wayside along with gel energy wrappers.

I love Lionel Shriver's dry observations on society. The wife's desperate attempts to not completely talk down her husband's new enthusiasm, the daughter's fervent religious beliefs and the awful personal trainer are all perfect. I adored this book; it made me laugh, think and almost feel sad for all those triathletes who are just looking for meaning in their lives.

The Motion of the Body Through Space by Lionel Shriver is about a woman who resents her husband's obsession with exercise.

I am always surprised at how insightful Lionel Shriver can be.
A long married and happily compatible couple are suddenly have their relationship challenged when their physical abilities are reversed.
As Serenata’s body begins to fail her Remington (her husband) decides to run a marathon. Having supported her husband through all his travails Serenata feels betrayed. Their children are pulled in and expected to take sides. So much like real life.
This is such acute observation of human interactions.

The only downside for me is the labouring over the tribunal Remington faced. I understand the points Shriver is trying to make but they feel too forced. I also found a couple of other sections a bit flabby too.
Overall a very intimate insight into normal lives. Reminded me a lot of Double Fault printed in 1997.

Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lionel Schriver has produced yet another sharp, acerbic and perceptive book. She focuses on the ever growing wellness and fitness phenomenon,which currently exists in modern society.

We are introduced to a couple in their sixties, Serenata and Remington, and we follow Remington's journey while training for a marathon and other athletic endeavours. People who are familiar with counting their daily steps will enjoy this wry look at the fitness industry.

The characters are well developed and written; we get a real sense of what makes them tick. We are drawn into both Remington and Serenata's work life. Very modern themes are explored in each area and as always Lionel Schriver has her finger on the pulse of what is happening in society, as she explores these- often uncomfortable- avenues.

I particularly enjoyed reading about the Alabasters' sanctimonious daughter, Valeria and their misfit son, Deacon, as well as the ever present, perky trainer, Bambi.

I would thoroughly recommend this book. It was thought provoking and entertaining and I was engaged and enthralled for every step of Remington's late in life fitness journey.
An excellent read and I would like to say how grateful I am to Netgalley for my advanced copy.

I was really eager to read this book but it didn’t please me as much as I wanted it to. Firstly, the names. Remington Alabaster and Serenata Terpsichore (rhymes with hickory) were initially funny but I found them simply unbelievable and annoying. The first part of the book – more than half – I found slow and introspective. It really got going for me about three quarters of the way through, at which point I began to care what happened and to want to find out. Their daughter, Valeria, and her brood were funny and their errant son, Deacon, quite an attractive character, despite what the build-up had prepared us for. The book takes a hard look at the fitness culture and asks whether you should push through the pain or is it telling you when to stop. Well written, naturally, but slow and a bit hard going for me. How readers appreciate this book will depend on their sense of humour and connection with the subject matter, I think.
Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy.

I’ve got to be honest I wasn’t sure at first that I was going to like this book as Remington and Serenata (nee Terpsichore) Alabaster’s conversations at breakfast are not the ‘please pass the marmalade, dear’ variety. Oh, no. Much more erudite, intellectual and maybe a bit competitive! However, intrigue set in and I found myself totally immersed and invested in their story. The couple are Baby Boomers and clinging to lost youth as best they can. They are not alone! Serenata has been a runner for many years but regrettably has to give it up when her knees gave out. She continues to exercise as best she can with a punishing routine that includes burpees and sit ups and so on. Serenata is a bit of a trail blazer though there’s no artifice to this, she just likes to do what no one else is as she refuses to follow a crowd. When Remington, an early retiree and a non runner, decides that he wants to do a marathon he becomes a slavish convert to the detriment of his marriage and his body. When he meets Bambi Buffer, a trainer, he ups the ante and decided to take on a MettleMan (Iron Man in the UK) Triathlon which he clings to as if it is his ‘get out of jail free’, anti aging life raft.

This brilliantly incisive look at the almost evangelical exercise to excess and personal denial ‘religion’ and it’s detriment effects on body, soul and relationships is very acutely observed. The characters are really good and I especially like the portrayal of Remington and Serenata and their marriage which almost implodes under the pressure of Serenata’s resistance and Remington’s obsessiveness. Yes, she’s jealous and disdainful of his new found love of mass exercise and her loathing of Bambi is palpable. She’s very easy to loathe. ‘The Cult of Bambi’ followers are slavish and do not see that she is vile, opinionated, blinkered, unfeeling and downright wrong in what she preaches. I’m very pleased to say that eventually, cue Cyndi Lauper, that we ‘see your true colours shining through’ .... and Bambi is shown as a fraud. My greatest admiration is for Serenata who ploughs her own furrow and is an individual. Remington’ father Griffin is a lovely character too and to my surprise given the low bar build up from his parents I rather likes their wrong side of the tracks son Deacon but their self righteous daughter Valeria frankly needs a slap!!!

I really like the way the obsession with pushing yourself beyond reasonable limits is portrayed and it makes you think. The author makes thought provoking comments about the ‘Redemption’ Generation who forswear everything that is well, nice and makes life joyous. Serenata questions if it is all worth it and whether we should just embrace age and so on and just be happy. Make your own mind up! I think I’ll stick to Zumba followed by cake. One cancels out the other, right?

Overall, this book makes you think. It’s very well written, it’s a clever portrayal of aging and coming to terms with it. Note to self, avoid a knee replacement at all costs. Poor Serenata!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins, Harper Fiction for this outstanding arc.

After a lifetime of being idle, Serenata’s husband Remington decides to run a marathon at the age of 60. This irks Serenata, who, after spending years enjoying solo activity is now unable to exercise, facing a dreaded operation to replace her knees.

Believing that it could only be a passing phase, Serenata is shocked when Remington signs up for MettleMan, an incredibly tough Triathlan event that she doesn’t believe he has a hope of completing.

The Motion of the Body Through Space is a really enjoyable book, full of humour. Another great story from Lionel Shriver. As always the writing is excellent.

'We need to talk about Kevin' is one the best books I've read. Others by Shriver appealed to me less. This one falls somewhere in the middle.

I love the way it accurately and sometimes exaggeratedly depicts the cult of endurance sports, the bullying behaviour of the hilariously-named trainer Bambi Buffer, and the power of the internet to dictate how people should organise their lives and push themselves beyond their limits. The tension between Serenata and Remington is palpable and whilst both have unlikeable character traits, I warmed to them and found them totally believable.

Shriver's writing is full of wit, sometimes laugh-out-loud funny and is extremely clever, though sometimes the clever phrases feel somewhat contrived. I felt that some repetitive scenes, particularly those when the triathletes descend on Serenata, could have been dropped without losing anything, but all in all this was another original idea, well-developed by this excellent writer.

Lionel Shriver's writing is so often sharp, dark, funny and icily cynical and satirical. That's all on display here. Easy to read, subtly pacey and gripping, deftly plotted and totally engrossing - I raced through this book and was sad to put it down.

‘The Motion of the Body Through Space’ by Lionel Shriver focuses on the current worship of endurance events and the holy grail of a strong, youthful body so sought after by so many whether they be young or old. The central couple, Seranata and her husband Remington, now in their sixties, may seem like polar opposites: for as long as she can remember, exercise has been a necessary part of her day. He has been far more sedentary. Now the tables have turned. Her increasingly debilitating arthritis means that a daily ten-mile run is no longer feasible whilst he, dismissed from his city planning work, takes up marathon training and progresses to triathlon ambitions.
Shriver’s examination of a once extremely happy couple now in crisis is a fascinating read. Knowing how physical goals can become all-consuming, whilst some elements of the ‘TRI’ community appear to be somewhat exaggerated, not the least the horrific personal trainer Bambi, the blinkered, bloody-minded, self-centred attitude possibly needed to do incredibly well in these competitions does come across as plausible. Seranata is furious with her husband: how much of her mood is generated through his extravagant attitude towards kit; how much is she jealous of his improving physical powers; how genuine is her concern that he will do himself real damage?
Throughout the novel, written in third person narrative, most of the viewpoint is Seranata’s. Although she is an insular, waspish, unsociable person, Shriver encourages the reader to have a great deal of sympathy for her position. It is easy to imagine just how depressing it is to feel that one is no longer able to enjoy physical activity and how infuriating that one’s previously deskbound partner is beginning a love affair with the activities one can no longer enjoy. Seranata’s honesty about these feelings endear her to us, as does her determination to save her husband from making some terrible mistakes.
Shriver explores her characters’ worries, vanities, frustrations and desires sympathetically. However, the brief appearances of her ghastly daughter and her wayward son feel like fictional opportunities lost. Why have they become as they are? What have their parents done over the years to make them so, if anything? Remington and Serenata are often bemused, sometimes sad and sometimes made cross by their dysfunctional family dynamics. There’s a suggestion that the children have been neglected by an exclusive parental relationship. It would have been interesting to have explored this more – or perhaps the siblings should have been left out altogether. Nevertheless, overall, this is a great read, especially for readers who know about grey hair and wrinkles!
My thanks to NetGalley and The Borough Press, HarperCollins UK for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.

An unusual story about a middle aged man who is forced to take early redundancy and discovers a passion for cycling and triathlon. This forces his wife to take a fresh look at their marriage.

I have attempted to read this author's previous books but they have not grabbed my interest. I thought this one sounded interesting, though, so gave it a go. I found her style of writing to be trying too hard - trying too hard to make a point and in doing so over-exaggerating every situation; trying to be funny and spilling over to almost slapstick; trying to make the dialogue witty but it was just irritating. So I gave up. I did get the point(s), though - you can't avoid it.

A sharp satire on current obsessions with physical perfection and the denial of ageing with a pop at political correctness along the way. At times this is absolutely laugh out loud as we see the efforts Remington makes at the age of 64 to achieve a level of fitness necessary to finish the Mettleman, an absurdly demanding triathlon, watched cynically by his wife Serenata, previously extremely fit but now crippled with knee problems.

This is very well written and observed, and the extremes and obsessions shown are right for this level of satire. Beyond the laughter though I found it waspish, and the message to accept ageing gracefully came over more like making the best of defeat and disappointment.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.

As I am sure other readers will note this book is fast paced, witty, sharp dialogue and painful to read, being a person who has been obsessed by endurance sports in the past and the complete oblivion that you inhabit whilst training (always training) it can be hard to realise that you are damaging not only yourself but those you love, I wish thus book had been written 20 years ago

NO SPOILERS
I have read two of Lionel Shriver’s previous books, The Post-Birthday World and We Need to Talk about Kevin. One I loved, one I really, really did not love, though not in that order. So, it being a draw, I was keen to read her latest novel and I can now say LOVE is winning 2-1.

Being the wife of a triathlete, I recognized and empathised with much of this book but also tore my hair out a little at the extremism portrayed, although I realise without it, the book would not work; but I wanted to scrawl in the margins “This is not the norm!” Shriver has taken the worst of a situation the make a point and actually, the point is very valid.

This book is not simply about a man training for a triathlon (all the technical stuff and events themselves are spot on….been there, done that and he has the t-shirts!) and a woman facing a knee replacement; it is a detailed study of the human condition at its best and worst. Shriver writes of blind faith, cults, the fear of being left behind, the need for validation, the pointlessness of validation, racism, privilege, misogyny, pride, vanity, acceptance of change, fighting change…it’s all here! And she does it with wonderful wit.

The style is easy to read but not simple; the dialogue is sharp, paced and utterly brilliant. Whilst I was not racing to the end (see what I did there?) for the conclusion, I enjoyed every page and it is not often I can say that about a book. It is not a wordy masterpiece, but it is a very worthwhile read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the Advanced Reader Copy of the book, which I have voluntarily reviewed.

I didn't want this book to end. The dialogue was so witty and entertaining that the characters really came alive to me and I'd love to see this novel preformed as a stage play.

The story is told in the third person but predominantly from Serenata's viewpoint. It begins when Serenata's 64 year old husband, Remington, announces he is going to run a marathon, just at the point when his hitherto fitness fanatic wife, has knee problems and has therefore had to significantly reduce her excercise regime.

What unfolds is a fly-on-the-wall type experience for the reader, who witnesses first hand the impact and repercussions, of Remington's new path on the couple's relationship. Lionel Shriver has produced an excellent observation of a long-term marriage and illustrates perfectly the petty jealousies, disappointments and dissatisfactionas that all will recognise. She also provides us with some back stories so that we are given an insight - albeit through Serenata's eyes, into the lives of their two children, who make appearances themselves at several points. Again, the reader is able to observe the strained interactions and compromises that exist between family members when there's a history of issues.

The exchanges between Serenata and Remington are electric. For me there were some laugh out loud moments and also scenes such as one in the hospital towards the end as well as the event at Lake Placid, where I could almost feel the discomfort along with the characters. At first I didn't warm to either of the protagonists - although I was enjoying reading about them - but by the end I was won over. I particulatly liked the character of Deacon and would have liked him to feature more heavily. I also thought the antagonism between Serenata and Valeria contrasted well with the Serenata/Tommy connection and was very believable.

Any-one who is, has been, or knows people in a long-term relationship will 'get' this book, as will any-one who has knowledge of extreme fitness or an Ironman style Triathlon or to quote Serenata, a person who 'fetishizes fitness.' The vocabulary used in 'The Motion of the Body Through Space' is extensive and it was a pleaure to read. I highly recommended the book and thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for allowing me to read this advance copy.

This is the first of Lionel Shriver’s books I have read, though I have been aware of her and her writing for some time. I have been missing out!
Let me say right away that the quality, clarity and exquisite use of language I discovered when I began reading “The Motion of the Body Through Space” made me gasp with admiration; the vocabulary, the flow, the alliteration and other figures of speech, the brilliant descriptions and succinct expression are all genuine ‘wow’ factors of relish for me.
The cleverly counterbalanced stories tell of long-married Serenata and Remington, a self-sufficient, perhaps even insular, couple with their jealousies and obsessions. We learn of the loss of fitness and movement due to overuse and ageing knees in the case of Serenata, juxtaposed with recently redundant Remington’s newfound passions for endurance sports, mingled with family history and more, which all create an engrossing novel (mostly) moving fast enough to keep the pages turning.
The political and social commentary which is also nicely interwoven, related to careers, relationships, religion and ‘correctness’ – that term ‘cultural misappropriation’ rearing its head – adds a note of the challenges of age, of having lived a long life in changing circumstances, and it is well documented here, as it has been in Shriver’s own life.
Highly recommended, superb writing and full of feisty flair.