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koki_siringo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
willowscarlet's review against another edition
3.0
Okay, over all I liked this collection of novellas. The writing was unique yet easy to read. I like the unhinged, odd ending that Joyce Carol Oates executes. But let me take the Novellas individually for review.
Cardiff by the sea - The first novella - 3.5 stars
I was captivated by this novella. I quite enjoyed it! It was paced well and around page 70 it really got good. The ending was, not my favorite. It was a confusing ending to me. But it’s the type of ending to a thriller I don’t particularly love.
Miao Dao - the second novella - 4 stars
This may be my favorite Novell out of the four. I don’t know why but this one especially captivated me and the end was very interesting. I liked the way it kind of pointed out some issues young girls often go through in life. And the ending put a sinister twist on the story that I think really flowed well with the story.
Phantomwise:1972- the third novella - 3.5 stars
I liked this novella a lot. It was intriguing. I liked the characters in this one more than the others. I liked the ending. This novella I think had the most interesting story line, but I didn’t like it more than Miao Dao
The surviving child - the fourth novella - 2.5 stars
I’m not sure why, but this novella was my least favorite. I think it was lacking something, but I’m not sure what. Like the ending. But I was not super interested throughout the story. The end intrigued me but the first 80% of the story was somewhat boring to me. I still liked it but I didn’t love it. This novella was forgettable to me.
Cardiff by the sea - The first novella - 3.5 stars
I was captivated by this novella. I quite enjoyed it! It was paced well and around page 70 it really got good. The ending was, not my favorite. It was a confusing ending to me. But it’s the type of ending to a thriller I don’t particularly love.
Miao Dao - the second novella - 4 stars
This may be my favorite Novell out of the four. I don’t know why but this one especially captivated me and the end was very interesting. I liked the way it kind of pointed out some issues young girls often go through in life. And the ending put a sinister twist on the story that I think really flowed well with the story.
Phantomwise:1972- the third novella - 3.5 stars
I liked this novella a lot. It was intriguing. I liked the characters in this one more than the others. I liked the ending. This novella I think had the most interesting story line, but I didn’t like it more than Miao Dao
The surviving child - the fourth novella - 2.5 stars
I’m not sure why, but this novella was my least favorite. I think it was lacking something, but I’m not sure what. Like the ending. But I was not super interested throughout the story. The end intrigued me but the first 80% of the story was somewhat boring to me. I still liked it but I didn’t love it. This novella was forgettable to me.
amesqueak's review against another edition
2.0
Not so much novellas of suspense but of just horrible things. I call this genre “psychological bummer”.
johnsonvalerie9's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence and Sexual assault
pharmdad2007's review against another edition
3.0
Kind of a mixed bag, with two very good stories and two others that didn't really grab me. Not bad.
bebamanno's review against another edition
5.0
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for granting me an advance review copy.
Four wonderful novellas from Joyce Carol Oates. "Cardiff, by the sea": A young researcher, adopted as a young child, gets in touch with her biological family after receiving an inheritance. As she gets to know her family history, things don’t seem to be quite as they appear on the surface.
Miao Dao: A young girl experiences massive changes in her life with the only constant comfort in her life being a once feral cat that she has adopted
Phantom wise:1972: A young university student struggles when a romantic relationship with a professor goes too far.
The surviving child: a stepmother tries to make a success of her new blended family and to connect with her new stepson, who has survived the tragic loss of his mother.
Reading books by Joyce Carol Oates can be quite an intense experience. This collection is no different, four compelling and deeply disturbing novellas about troubled romance, death, life, relationships. Joyce Carol Oates never disappoints.
Four wonderful novellas from Joyce Carol Oates. "Cardiff, by the sea": A young researcher, adopted as a young child, gets in touch with her biological family after receiving an inheritance. As she gets to know her family history, things don’t seem to be quite as they appear on the surface.
Miao Dao: A young girl experiences massive changes in her life with the only constant comfort in her life being a once feral cat that she has adopted
Phantom wise:1972: A young university student struggles when a romantic relationship with a professor goes too far.
The surviving child: a stepmother tries to make a success of her new blended family and to connect with her new stepson, who has survived the tragic loss of his mother.
Reading books by Joyce Carol Oates can be quite an intense experience. This collection is no different, four compelling and deeply disturbing novellas about troubled romance, death, life, relationships. Joyce Carol Oates never disappoints.
nina_wintermeyer's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.75
limonik's review against another edition
3.0
This is a short story collection and also the first book I read by Joyce Carol Oates. I cannot say I disliked it, but I am not moved by this either. The writing style is impressive, the literary quality of Oates’ world is obvious and outstanding. However, I will have second thoughts on whether to read any of her books in the future and here is why: The first story in this collection is “Cardiff By the Sea” is about a young woman who finds out that she inherited the fortune of her biological grandmother and that her biological parents died in an unusual way. The suspense is very strong and keeps you reading and reading. The portrayal of the two aunts are fantastic and the atmosphere creeped me out. However, the story ended in such a rushed, vague way that it left me so dissatisfied. 2-stars!
The second story Mia Dao is about Mia who adopts a wild cat and tries to adapt into her new life as her father leaves and there is a new stepfather in the house. Again, there are vagueness in the story and I did not feel particularly connected with Mia. 3-stars!
The third story Phantomwise is the strongest one in this collection, following Alyce who gets involved with her lecturer and another old professor, only to be abused by one. The violence against women is portrayed strongly here, underlining both psychological and physical abuse. 4-stars!
The last one is The Surviving Child. The story follows a woman marrying a man whose famous poet wife committed suicide whilst killing her own daughter, too. So the guy has a surviving son and the new wife lives in the same house where the first wife killed herself. The surviving child is disturbing in a way that you feel the quality and presence of Oates. 4-stars!
All in all, Oates is a great author for sure and plays an important role in the literature world. However, I just need more from a story, more satisfaction in terms of endings.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Mysterious Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The second story Mia Dao is about Mia who adopts a wild cat and tries to adapt into her new life as her father leaves and there is a new stepfather in the house. Again, there are vagueness in the story and I did not feel particularly connected with Mia. 3-stars!
The third story Phantomwise is the strongest one in this collection, following Alyce who gets involved with her lecturer and another old professor, only to be abused by one. The violence against women is portrayed strongly here, underlining both psychological and physical abuse. 4-stars!
The last one is The Surviving Child. The story follows a woman marrying a man whose famous poet wife committed suicide whilst killing her own daughter, too. So the guy has a surviving son and the new wife lives in the same house where the first wife killed herself. The surviving child is disturbing in a way that you feel the quality and presence of Oates. 4-stars!
All in all, Oates is a great author for sure and plays an important role in the literature world. However, I just need more from a story, more satisfaction in terms of endings.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Mysterious Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.