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A review by hybridpubscout
Wonderland by Joyce Carol Oates
4.0
This book is both visceral, and cerebral at the same time. Upon picking it up to begin before bed, I found myself through 45 pages of Jesse in his childhood home, feeling sick with premonition at the school assembly, and running from his psychotic gun-wielding father, before actually looking at the time. There were also several times where I put the book down, not because I was tired, but because the stories of his residency, or the graphic account of his wife's hysteria-ridden pregnancy test, made me sick to my stomach.
Even when I did put it down, though, I found myself thinking about the characters--the megalomaniacs, the psychopaths (I'm not even sure whether there was any heroic or likable character in it at all), and how much our generation is different in its ideas of self-determination than Jesse's, or even his children's.
It did disturb me a little to see that Oates considered Jesse's rescue of his daughter an act of demonic paternalism (although most of the book disturbed me anyway). I do see her point, also that maybe his motivations for rescuing Shelly were more self-centered than stemming from an actual love for his family. I think constantly, throughout the book, we see him attempting to love particular people--caustically self-talking his love for them--and he never is quite able to do it.
Whether there's any love that doesn't ultimately stem from anxious, selfish need. That's another good question.
Four stars doesn't necessarily mean I like it. I still think it's a very good book, though. I hope that makes sense.
Even when I did put it down, though, I found myself thinking about the characters--the megalomaniacs, the psychopaths (I'm not even sure whether there was any heroic or likable character in it at all), and how much our generation is different in its ideas of self-determination than Jesse's, or even his children's.
It did disturb me a little to see that Oates considered Jesse's rescue of his daughter an act of demonic paternalism (although most of the book disturbed me anyway). I do see her point, also that maybe his motivations for rescuing Shelly were more self-centered than stemming from an actual love for his family. I think constantly, throughout the book, we see him attempting to love particular people--caustically self-talking his love for them--and he never is quite able to do it.
Whether there's any love that doesn't ultimately stem from anxious, selfish need. That's another good question.
Four stars doesn't necessarily mean I like it. I still think it's a very good book, though. I hope that makes sense.