Rating: 
Summary: The worst book I ever managed to finish
Review: Let me say first that the story itself was interesting enough to keep me reading. But it was so badly written that I was able to skim pages of drivel -- long, rambling descriptions that did nothing to advance the story. One example in particular that stands out in my mind was several pages describing the clocks in the house, all the clocks, and how much Marianne loved the clocks and the various sounds they made. Whatever symbolic significance those clocks had could have been expressed in a paragraph instead of 2-3 pages of rambling.I thought the made-for-TV movie starring Beau Bridges and Blythe Danner was much better than the book. This is the first Oates book I've read. I won't be eager to read any more of her novels.
Rating:
Summary: Carol, What Were You Thinking?
Review: Unfortunately, this was the first book I have ever read by Joyce Carol Oates. It will probably be my last. By no stretch of the imagination could the people at the beginning of the book have turned out to be the ones at the end of the book. Sure, people change. But that much? Oh, please...
Rating:
Summary: It doesn't get much worse than this!
Review: I'm sorry, I know reading is subjective, but I just can't see how anyone could not have found this book anything but painful WORK! Is the beginning suppose to make you see how perfect they are with little cutesy names like "Button, Baby, Ranger and Pretty Boy", because it doesn't. It went on forever saying nothing. I lost interest in the characters and just didn't care much what happened because I was too bored by the time anything actually did. The writting was flat and did not hold my interest while waiting for something to happen. The family's behavior was just strange and unexplainable. It did not make sense why they would send their cherished daughter into exile in such a way as not to even seem to care of her exhistence or well being again. In fairness, if you enjoy very descriptive writing with a soft story of a family gone wrong, you might enjoy it. If you are looking for wit, something that can bring emotion (laughter and sadness-which I think could/should have been done here, it's a family after all meaning there are many facets to their lives, not just the boring, tragic and strange), then I would keep looking.
Rating: 
Summary: A sad but realistic tale of a family's disintegration
Review: I have read other reviews here of this book and am baffled at the sharp criticism. Some suggest that the language register is too elementary, and others attack the author's decision to write about a family's demise that they deem "unrealistic." Well, I am the product of such a family. My family was completely dysfunctional, and my upbringing's timeline coincided closely to that of the Mulvaney's. Family's did, unfortunately, handle tragedies in this manner. The story has an incredibly slow start, but if you can make it through the first 100 pages, the rest of the trip is worth it. My guess is that many people find this tale distasteful - it takes a pragmatic approach to taboos and social black-balling. I experienced it, and the examination of a life similar to mine was painful, yet revealing. If you are looking for an uplifting book, don't read this one. If you are looking for an honest examination of a middle-America tragedy, fraught with angst and melancholy.
Rating:
Summary: It had it's ups & downs
Review: This book was one of the better. I've read about half, with the other half on my bookshelf (in line to read). It was a sad story though. And I almost had a hard time believing what was going on. But I guess I could imagine something like this going on....
Rating: 
Summary: We Were an Oprah's Book Club Pick
Review: A big, sprawling book that could've used the services of a good editor (Are there any left? Should Oates join a writing group?). There were redundancies (rather than the lit technique of repetition) and so much "extra" prose that could've been cut away, tightened, replaced w/ something stronger, more effective. The Mulvaney's themselves were a largely humorless, self-absorbed lot that could've been on a dull Jerry Springer episode. & the mother & father (Michael, Sr. & Connie) lacked depth-1 dimensional or "flat" characters, to use Forster's term (Connie approached 2 dimensions at times; maybe 1 & a half . . .). Which arguably, might've been the author's choice, but it was such a long book & they were seemingly central characters, why not take the time to develop them? All in all, the novel suffered from a common trait in today's "literary" fiction-a decided lack of any humor w/ the resultant tendency for the story to take itself too damned seriously; which is probably meant to be taken as earnest, introspective & "deep." In the end, the only thing that separates it from a Springer episode is that it's less carnivalesque: the character's far too literary to suffer from common people's banal defects. Which ultimately equates to boring (there were a few interesting characters but all peripheral-the vet, Wit, & the poetess, Halstrom are 2 that come to mind). B-
Rating:
Summary: The consequences of "family secrets".
Review: This is the heartbreaking story of a family whom on the outside seemed to have it all. They were the envy of all that knew them. The sucessful busines-man Father, the doting Mother, three sons and a beautiful daughter. There would be a single event that would blow the family apart. It's a study of how a snowball turned into an avalanche, one secret led to another, and another, and how each family member dealt with the incident that changed their family for ever. This book was long but worth the endeavor.
Rating:
Summary: My first by the writer.
Review: I had never read anything by Mrs.Oates, I plan to because many say that this is not her best. The book was very gripping, but the language was of third grade level. I expected a bit more from such an acclaimed writer. The languge makes the book easy to follow, but perhaps a bit too easy. If you are looking for a great, polished piece of literature, don't read this. There are not many writers today that write with beautiful language. I can only name one American writer who does, it's a shame. I guess that books are not like they used to be. The story in the book is very good but, Oates really needs to take a English course at school, or perhaps pick up the dictionary.
Rating:
Summary: Depressing
Review: This was the most depressing book I've ever read. I don't see any redeeming value to it. This "perfect family" failed when it came to the test.
Rating:
Summary: Disturbing, but captivating: Definitely worth reading
Review: After reading the first few chapters of this book, I did not think I would like it. It seemed wordy and somewhat boring. However, as the book moved on I completely changed my opinion. Oates does an extremely excellent job in creating her characters so while this book's plot is not terribly action-packed, it is so character driven that you hardly notice. You see how one event can totally change everything. To me it was very disturbing how Marianne was treated by her family and I just hated the father. I think the mark of a good book is its ability to make you love or hate its characters and this one definitely had this quality. The ending was fairly satisfying to me as well so overall I would recommend this to most people, however probably not the thing to read if you are looking for a short and action-packed read. The soft cover is 454 pages and it seems like it just because the plot is not action driven and Oates is fairly wordy.
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