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pbraue13's review against another edition
2.0
I hated everyone and while the writing was quality and gothic I was overall unimpressed and so happy when it was over.
timbo001's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
drron's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
spinstah's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not really sure what I thought of this book - I didn't quite like it, but it was better than just OK (I'd prefer to give it 2.5 stars). Part of this is probably because I read most of it while I was a little out of it over the weekend, due to my poor (nonexistent?) ability to deal with the humidity & heat down here. I probably owe it a re-read someday.
Anyway, this is the third book in Oates' Wonderland series. This one follows members of the Wendall family -- mom Loretta, daughter Maureen and son Jules -- in Detroit in the 50s and 60s. There is lots of abuse and questionable behavior from all parties. Here, as in many of her books and stories, most of the women seem to be unable or unwilling to take control of their lives. The women especially are constantly making connections with men because that is the only way they can see a way forward in life, and naturally they make mostly bad choices.
A lot of the book reads like a fever dream (which is heightened if you are kind of out of it due to the heat & humidity and need of a good night's sleep -- very weird experience), especially passages from Jules' point of view. I was never quite sure if it was caused because he was high or if it was just the way he thought (sometimes it was clear that it was because he hadn't eaten that day, so maybe this was the case a lot of the time?).
I don't think I would necessarily recommend this to people who aren't already fans of Oates, but if you like something that is occasionally a little bit surreal, and features characters whose main personality traits are magnified to caricature, you might like this.
Anyway, this is the third book in Oates' Wonderland series. This one follows members of the Wendall family -- mom Loretta, daughter Maureen and son Jules -- in Detroit in the 50s and 60s. There is lots of abuse and questionable behavior from all parties. Here, as in many of her books and stories, most of the women seem to be unable or unwilling to take control of their lives. The women especially are constantly making connections with men because that is the only way they can see a way forward in life, and naturally they make mostly bad choices.
A lot of the book reads like a fever dream (which is heightened if you are kind of out of it due to the heat & humidity and need of a good night's sleep -- very weird experience), especially passages from Jules' point of view. I was never quite sure if it was caused because he was high or if it was just the way he thought (sometimes it was clear that it was because he hadn't eaten that day, so maybe this was the case a lot of the time?).
I don't think I would necessarily recommend this to people who aren't already fans of Oates, but if you like something that is occasionally a little bit surreal, and features characters whose main personality traits are magnified to caricature, you might like this.
drx's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
lifesarosch's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Brutal and bleak but compelling in a Oatesian way
emilybryk's review against another edition
2.0
I honestly don't get it.
This is a book in which every character, all the time, is confused. At first, I thought maybe Ms Oates was not quite so sympathetic an observer as she thinks she is and that she may just think that her poor characters are poor because they're dumb. But no! The non-poor characters are just as befuddled. I have no idea how they get through their days. These people are constantly surrounded by a world that mystifies them, and they seem unable to remember things like where they were earlier in the day, who they are talking to, or (hilariously) how to park a car (as we see Jules "manage" to park a car a dozen or more times, each time referred to with the verb "manage"). I have no idea how they get through the day. Can they remember to brush their teeth? Do they remember that they HAVE teeth?
This is the kind of book that has passages (my own, invented) like this: "She heard him saying something to her and strained to listen, listening through the hazy shapes she saw surrounding him. 'What were you doing today,' he was asking. 'I don't remember,' she said, dully. 'I don't remember anything.'"
If only a single damn character could remember anything he'd been doing the day before, or could just muster up the energy to grab a strong cup of coffee or a decent nap, we could have cut the whole book down to a short story.
This is a book in which every character, all the time, is confused. At first, I thought maybe Ms Oates was not quite so sympathetic an observer as she thinks she is and that she may just think that her poor characters are poor because they're dumb. But no! The non-poor characters are just as befuddled. I have no idea how they get through their days. These people are constantly surrounded by a world that mystifies them, and they seem unable to remember things like where they were earlier in the day, who they are talking to, or (hilariously) how to park a car (as we see Jules "manage" to park a car a dozen or more times, each time referred to with the verb "manage"). I have no idea how they get through the day. Can they remember to brush their teeth? Do they remember that they HAVE teeth?
This is the kind of book that has passages (my own, invented) like this: "She heard him saying something to her and strained to listen, listening through the hazy shapes she saw surrounding him. 'What were you doing today,' he was asking. 'I don't remember,' she said, dully. 'I don't remember anything.'"
If only a single damn character could remember anything he'd been doing the day before, or could just muster up the energy to grab a strong cup of coffee or a decent nap, we could have cut the whole book down to a short story.
aurora_f's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I’ve never been so unsettled and yet totally gripped by a book. I read this in under a week, which I haven’t done in years. The way Oates lets us into the characters’ heads is unlike anything else I’ve read. The only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars is because of how oddly disturbed I was for WEEKS afterwards, which is just a testament to how powerful Oates’ writing is.
lfordham9's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
okenwillow's review against another edition
5.0
Joyce Carol Oates fait ici ce qu’elle sait faire de mieux en plongeant à nouveau dans les méandres de la société américaine. Au travers de la correspondance d’une ancienne étudiante fictive, l’auteur retrace son parcours chaotique, ses origines modestes, son enfance dans la misère de Detroit, pour illustrer une réalité pesante.
[Vous pouvez lire la suite sur mon blog, merci :)]
[Vous pouvez lire la suite sur mon blog, merci :)]