Rating: 
Summary: What planet is this woman on?
Review: First of all, is this supposed to be taking place during the sexual revolution, the mid 1970's? She makes it seem as though upstate NY is some kind of primative village in the middle ages where "loose" women (or women who have been raped)are stoned to death. Give me a break! I went to high school in upstate NY in the early 1980's and believe me, this is not realistic at all. While date rape is a common reality, and many get away with it, the women's "reputation" would not be ruined and cause the downfall of her whole family! This is just absurd. Some in the community would turn against them, some would stand by them, some just wouldn't give a damn. That is human nature. The unequivocal rejection of all of them, and the destruction of the father's business is not realistic. Also, at one point she says that the father looks through the want ads "help wanted - male" Again, a throwback to the 1950's, not the late 1970's. And what's with all of the cutsey nicknames? It's like she is stuck in some kind of fake "Leave it to Beaver"/ Norman Rockwell version of upstate NY in the 1950's. This book is irritating in that ALL of the characters are totally superficial and without any backbone whatsoever. If you don't live here, take my word for it, most people that have to scrape ice and snow off of their cars daily in the winter in subzero temp. have a little more chuztpah than this. And a little more sense of perspective in what is important in life. And a better sense of humor! Many little factual errors are also annoying to me, and she could have done more research on her setting. For example: NY York state fair is usually in Syracuse, not Albany, etc. Also, there are plenty of factual errors relating to nature, wildlife, farming etc. OK, maybe petty, but if you live in upstate NY, it seems that this writer didn't bother to really find out what it is like to live here, taking away from the books credibility. Also it is insulting to those of us who do live here. Most annoying to me is the total lack of anger on Marianne's part. This does not ring true. While many scenes were heartbreaking and felt real, others were just empty and fake. She would have experienced more complex emotions, including anger at her parents for what they did to her. She just had no inner strength and I felt she remained a passive "victum" through out. Very unsatisfying.
Rating: 
Summary: A Wonderful Story
Review: I loved the book. I can't believe it has not received a higher over-all rating than a three. It was realistic, it moved my emotions and held my attention. That is all I have to say about the book. WONDERFUL READING!
Rating: 
Summary: A good story, but a little too long.
Review: This is a book about the Mulvaney family, who started out being well-respected and liked. The only daughter, Marianne, is raped on a date, but she was drunk and thinks that it was somehow her fault and refuses to prosecute the boy who did it. The story is mainly about how this event changes the whole family. The father wants justice for his little girl but just can't get it and feels ashamed to the point that he can't even look at her. He starts drinking and his business goes downhill. So the mother, trying to save her marriage and hold the family together, packs her up and sends her off to live with a maiden aunt without even a speck of explanation. The daughter feels that she has done something wrong and has been exiled. The brothers feel frustrated at the lack of justice and blame their father for sending off Marianne.
This story would make an excellent reading circle discussion. The dynamics of how this family operates are fascinating. Why the father did what he did, how the mother tries to hold things together but at the same time is tearing things apart, how the daughter comes to terms with herself, and how the brothers work out their own places in the world. It's a very complex and interesting story. Not an edge-of-your-seat thriller, by any means--this book took me nearly two months to read (mostly due to my own schedule), but it shouldn't be read in a hurry.
I liked the book because the author gives you something to think about and ponder, not just a roller-coaster ride. I did, however, think that it was tediously long in some places. In the beginning, as the author is building up to "the event," there are numerous mysterious hints about what's coming. I figured it out long before it got there, and was annoyed that it took so long to get there. Also, at the end, when the author is wrapping up the story and bringing all the loose ends together, instead of a brief "This is what happened to us in the end," she veers off into a long-winded explanation of how this little event came to be. The story takes one step forward and two steps back throughout the entire book. Just when you think you're going to move on, the author drags you back into another explanation of something. The explanations are necessary to the story and are well-written, but at the same time I felt that some of them dragged on a little too long. However, the writing is good and very thought-provoking; I just wish it had been a few pages shorter and a little more straightforward.
4.5 out of 5 stars.
Rating: 
Summary: so-so
Review: a very big and complex book, i enjoyed it and then i just got bored towards the end.
Rating:
Summary: A heartrending portrayal...
Review: Joyce Carol Oates, one of the most prolific authors to date, has painted the picture of a storybook world gone terribly wrong. Her devotion to the true feeling and emotion of each of the Mulvaneys lends an aire of authenticity and truth to this story that would otherwise not be present. Marianne Mulvaney's struggle into womanhood and her heartwrenching emotion over a family lost depict a tale of so many young girls - of so many families - and provide the book with the ability to resonate with so many people today.
READ It! This is one of the best books I have ever read! Emotional, endearing, and unique. Joyce Carol Oates has outdone herself this time.
Rating:
Summary: What was that ending??
Review: I was really disappointed with the last 100 pages of the book, needless information in my opinion. I enjoyed the first 300 pages, but then the real point of the story was over and it drug on until the ending with Patrick and his hippy Californian lifestyle? So what? Who cares. It should have ended with the dad dying or maybe with the reunion, minus the last 4 pages. I have to say I enjoyed the unique style of Oates writing, but I was very let down and unsatisfied with the end.
Rating:
Summary: A good story about a broken clan
Review: This story says a lot about the unfairness and cruelty that one can come across in life. It also shows how bravery and love can pull one through and allow us to come through these difficult times stronger and better than ever. When we first meet the Mulvaney's, the patriarch of the family, Mike, seems bigger than life and capable of great love for his family. When the going gets tough, however, we discover that he is a true coward and that his love for his family only lasts as long as their perfect image reflects well on himself. Once that image is shattered he quickly abandons them, first emotionally then physically. It is Corinne, the mother of this broken clan, that emerges as the hero of the story. Through all of the struggles her faith and her love for her family (including her now worthless husband) remains true. As each of the children emerges into adulthood, they begin to realize this and it is this realization that allows the survivors to meet at the end and accept each other.
Rating:
Summary: Not my favorite Oates novel....
Review: I read this for a book group - and that's the only reason I managed to finish it. I was so annoyed by the parents in this story that I could hardly stand it! I understand that during this time period rape was more of an embarrassment to your family and that people were ashamed of it, but come on! I guess I just find it hard to believe that a mother would ship her daughter off without a word to anyone just to make her husband feel better because he doesn't have to see his daughter anymore. Honestly, Marianne was the only character I could relate to and the only character I wanted to come out of the whole mess intact. I think Judd was an inconsistent and unreliable narrator and, quite frankly, got a little annoying with all the "I just want to be part of the family" business at the beginning of the story. The ending was also a little too neat with an "everyone's okay and happy" scenario that was a little unbelieveable after seeing how these people treated each other through the rest of their lives together. I've always enjoyed reading Oates' writing, but this is one I would recommend not spending your time on.
Rating:
Summary: Very Good
Review: I thought that this was a great book, although I found it rather long which I gave it four stars instead of five. It's sad that Oprah will not have a monthly book club anymore, because she has always chosen pretty good.
Rating:
Summary: Karmic JCO
Review: JCO is not an author for everyone. She can be so detailed in her descriptions and focus on minute items and spend pages and pages on them. I happen to love the way she writes, but understand that many people do not have the patience to deal with this. I can see how diehard fans of JCO resent her for writing this novel. I can also see how this book was chosen to be an Oprah selection. I got through its 454 pages at times loving it and at times hoping for a near end. Here's the positives: The demise of the family has a very karmic feel to it. Corinne comes through as a very haughty woman despite her Christian beliefs. Michael Sr. places a very high value on status, and wants to be accepted by those he perceives as "worthy". If Corinne had been a little bit more like Michael and viceversa, the family would have survived (and then we would have no book!). There is a big element of surprise throughout the story. When you think it cannot possibly get any worse, it does. Character development is perfect, to the point that you get to intimately know everybody in the book. The parents and the children all have important roles, except for Michael Jr., the least relevant. Horror is a difficult genre. For horror to be truly successful, it must be unexpected. The banishment of Marianne by her loving and adoring parents after her rape is one of the most horrific moments in JCO's works. What exquisite cruelty! Michael Sr., himself banished from his family and deeply hurt by it, inflicts the same pain on his own fresh and blood. Here's the negatives: The book started great, but lost momentum at the end. I was particularly disappointed with the last scene, the 4th of July reunion. JCO is far more sinister than that, but maybe she is tired of writing high-caliber literature that does not have a huge following, and decided to show everybody that she too can write an Oprah bestseller. Good for her. I have a hard time accepting poor grammar and punctuation, even when it is used for the sake of reality. In this case it doesn't fly. Judd is the narrator, and he is a newspaper editor. It is not inconceivable to expect perfect punctuation from him, yet at times commas shine in their absence. All in all, a keeper.
|
