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A review by kim_e_d
Middle Age: A Romance by Joyce Carol Oates
5.0
Oates is a master storyteller, that I knew already knew. But this novel is a masterpiece. She delicately crafts characterisations of upper-class Americans.
They are all obsessed with their late friend, whose main characteristic isn't his aura odf mystery - which is one of the key elements - but his ability to listen to people and make them feel seen (despite only having one eye). And when he is gone, they are all lost, and their empty lives fall to pieces.
Most of them somewhat manage to rebuild, but even then, they haven't really changed, and some of them seem to reproduce their mistakes, only slightly differently.
My personnal favourite element is how their casual racism is used to show how out-of-touch with reality they all are.
A wonderful read.
They are all obsessed with their late friend, whose main characteristic isn't his aura odf mystery - which is one of the key elements - but his ability to listen to people and make them feel seen (despite only having one eye). And when he is gone, they are all lost, and their empty lives fall to pieces.
Most of them somewhat manage to rebuild, but even then, they haven't really changed, and some of them seem to reproduce their mistakes, only slightly differently.
My personnal favourite element is how their casual racism is used to show how out-of-touch with reality they all are.
A wonderful read.