Now I'm trying to remember how close to the end of the book we found out that Kevin had killed his father and sister. It was a while back that I read it. I can rememebr feeling shocked for a good while. I also got the sense that the author tried to change our feelings toward Kevin by giving him an air of vulnerability as he approached his 18th birthday. The style of the book worked the emotions very well, a bit like a Hollywood weepie where even as you are crying your eyes out, you know you are being manipulated by the writer/producer/actors.