A review by keepreadingbooks
Cardiff, by the Sea: Four Novellas by Joyce Carol Oates

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This was my first Joyce Carol Oates, and it was such a nice surprise. A really strong collection. Only the second story, Miao Dao, had me a little bored for the first half, but the second half got much stronger, and the other three stories just had me hooked from the get-go. 

 

The novellas are suspenseful and mysterious but not exactly ‘scary’, so if you’re worried about that, don’t be – they can easily be read by those of us who stay clear of horror and scary books. It’s more psychological than anything, with a bit of a gothic feel too. The writing is unique and almost feels impulsive and even poetic, but not in a contrived or overly complex way – rather in a way that makes brilliant use of pauses and tension. Oates’ narrative style feels fresh and unique too, mixing third-person narration with glimpses of inner thoughts and blurring what the characters imagine and what actually happens, which means you’re never quite sure how much is “fact” (if that word can be used about things happening in fictitious stories). This combination really made me fly right through the stories, almost unable to put them down once I’d started one. Highly recommend it.