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A review by lapingveno
A Fair Maiden by Joyce Carol Oates
3.0
What is with Joyce Carol Oates's female characters. I'm far from an Oates scholar, but it seems as if a lot of her ladies are allergic to making wise life decisions. But I guess maybe that's the point.... And certainly the men in these women's lives are far from stellar.
This had some Lolita vibes (though the girl was older, thank God!).
The two principal lovers in Katya's life serve as foils illustrating the difference between love at the carnal, sexual level and love at the spiritual, quasi-Platonic level.
This book ends with the most romantic assisted suicide scene I've ever read. It has almost a storybook quality by the end. I cannot say that I loved the characters enough to feel Kidder's departure from Katya in my heart, but it was certainly a melancholic ending note.
Glad it was a short read. This plot wouldn't have survived a Stephen-King dose of filler!
This had some Lolita vibes (though the girl was older, thank God!).
The two principal lovers in Katya's life serve as foils illustrating the difference between love at the carnal, sexual level and love at the spiritual, quasi-Platonic level.
This book ends with the most romantic assisted suicide scene I've ever read. It has almost a storybook quality by the end. I cannot say that I loved the characters enough to feel Kidder's departure from Katya in my heart, but it was certainly a melancholic ending note.
Glad it was a short read. This plot wouldn't have survived a Stephen-King dose of filler!