Rating: 
Summary: It's the characters.
Review: Yes, this book deals with tough topics. Yes, it is at times sad, depressing and traumatic. And yes, not every character deals with these issues in an heroic manner. But that is life. Not everyone deals with life's challenges with the grit and stamina we want from our heros. What makes Joyce Carol Oates' work outstanding are her characters and how she invites us into their lives. We were with the Mulvaneys during their good times and their bad. As we read the book, we became a part of their lives as they became a part of ours. Just as if they were a part of our real family, we may not like the choices they make. When finishing a novel by JCO, we miss the characters; we miss having them around, engaging with them. That is her true gift. She writes a story with which we may agree or not. But she introduces us to people we will simply never forget. It has been a good year since I read "We Were the Mulvaneys" and I miss them very much.
Rating: 
Summary: Oprah's recommendations gone sour!
Review: This is the second book I bought based on Oprah's recommendations, the other being House of Sand and Fog and I found them both to be studies in and of depression. Unresolved characters and plots make both these books difficult to read. They end leaving you disgusted that you spent the time reading these nightmares. I am really disappointed in these recommendations. I wonder who really reads these books to make the recommendations in the first place. P.S. The best book I have read lately is Ahab's Wife.
Rating: 
Summary: We Were The Mulvaneys
Review: This is the first time I have read one of Joyce Carol Oates books. Though I found the story to be entertaining I do feel that there could have been a lot taken out to make the flow alittle better. It seemed to drag on in parts and then all of a sudden get interesting again. I would recommend this book to anyone who has the time to just sit and read because it may take you awhile to get through it.
Rating:
Summary: Pathetic
Review: I thought this was a good book and entertaining, but it was ruined on how naive Maryann was. I thought it was so wrong what happened to the daughter and how they shipped her away and ended almost all communication. What mother that truly loves her daughter that much, would just send her off because her father can't stand to look at her. Maryann never got mad or hated her parent's for treating her that way? Very unrealistic. MaryAnn was a very weak character and apparentley very stupid for letting her family basically disown her.
Rating:
Summary: a roller coaster ride
Review: although this book had me hooked from the beginning i would get disgusted with the characters and want to just put it away, yet was drawn back to find out how everything ended. it is hard to believe that so much bad could happen to each and every family member yet it was not totally unreal. even everyone's attitude towards the rape was not totally unbelievable either. having lived on a farm and having to move from it, under entirely different circumstances though, made me feel for these folks ... been there/done that ... not a pleasant experience. all in all it was a good book, just kind of depressing yet not too far off from reality.
Rating:
Summary: Typical Oprah book
Review: The author writes beautifully in this book, and the first few pages instantly captivate the reader. After browsing through this at the book store and reading the plot summary on the back cover, I felt compelled to buy this, even though Oprah's books had been somewhat disappointing lately. This book did nothing to prove me wrong! The only reason I rated it 3 stars is because the plot line was promising enough and the writing was beautiful enough. However, this book seemed to drag on forever, was very depressing, seemed to have no point! The reader finds themselves hating every member of the family!! I found that I had to force myself to finish the rest, just to see what happened! The author tries to make the ending too happy to match with the depressing nature of the book. Oprah's books as of late has been all about women victims!! IT gets old.
Rating: 
Summary: Intense, haunting!
Review: Once again, one of those books that just drives you crazy. It's very well written. So much so that the characters become real. And I became frustrated with their lives. I'd read, get frusrtated, put it down, then two minutes later I'd be right back at it. Luckily I was on vacation, otherwise I would have been insane waiting to get back to it. If you liked "Map of the World," "Acts of God," "The Rapture of Caanan" you'll like this.Sometimes books that are this intense and require a lot of energy aren't worth it. This is not the case. The only other book I've ever read that Oates' wrote was "Black Water" and that was incredible. I can't wait to read a few more.
Rating:
Summary: show don't tell
Review: I looked forward to reading my first Oates novel because she is such an esteemed writer. And I loved her short story, "Family". So, I was thrilled when Oprah chose Oates as this month's pick. The character development in this novel is well done. However, one of the first things a writer learns is: "show don't tell". I believe this novel suffers from too much narration...either the book could have been cut by 100 pages, or some of the narration could have been turned into scenes that would bring us into the story rather than keeping us at a distance, especially as the family falls apart. I think I'll go back to Oates short stories...
Rating:
Summary: Fantastical A+
Review: I was not looking forward to reading this book. I thought it would drag on and on and take me forever to finish. My reality was exactly the opposite :) I read this book in about 3.5 days - on the way to work, at lunchtime, on the way home, instead of watching tv, etc. etc. I don't think it was a difficult read intellectually but emotionally - the fact that it was very sad and may have you remembering how your family used to be when you were young and how things have changed. Plus the author is so descriptive in portraying each comlex personality in the family that you really feel like this family exists somewhere. I plan on reading more of her books in the future. A+
Rating: 
Summary: JUST TOO LONG AND DRAWN OUT
Review: I tried to like this book, I really did, but no matter how positive my attitude was at the beginning, the book just fell far short of my expectations. To begin with, Joyce Carol Oates is not one of my favourite authors. I respect her ability, but her writing style is simply not one I care for. There is just an in-depth quality of suspense lacking in her writing. However, having heard and read so much publicity on this book, it appeared the book might be worth reading. To the author's credit, the concept of the story and the family characters were excellent. However, the family is typically a traditional family, and in this day and age with so many divorces and blended families, the traditional family is almost the non-traditional. Anyone who has not been part of a close-knit family might find it difficult to relate to the characters and how they intermingled with each other. Much of the book revolves around a sexual assault and the inter-relationship of family members throughout the book. In my opinion the book is just too "wishy-washy" and leaves much to speculation and many questions unanswered. While the concept of the story was based on a good idea, the writing style simply did not hold my attention; the story and writing style became tedious and long-winded. For all its rave reviews, the book was a disappointment.
|
