Scan barcode
A review by brea_by_the_beach
A Book of American Martyrs by Joyce Carol Oates
5.0
Joyce Carol Oates can tell an amazing story. Although not easy to get through, not the least of which was due to its length - the story of two men whose lives intersect because one decided to murder the other in a fanatical devotion to a set of beliefs. It could end there - the religious zealot, guns down the abortionist doctor, but that story sets the background for larger questions about the decisions that each man made to reach this point, and equally important, how the lives of their families was impacted.
I was quite surprised by how deep JCO got into fleshing out the character of Luther Amos Dunphy, the fundamentalist Christian who believed his act of murder was a testament to his faith. Oates went "in close," to use the boxing expression she cites repeatedly. I didn't expect that. Her writing expressed an empathy I found myself being vaguely sympathetic too. The thought of feeling sympathy for this character however was simultaneously repugnant too. It must be a testament to the strength of this writer to be able to inspire this confusing swirl of sympathies for a character. I'm quite happy to have discovered her writing, and to see how prolific she has been. It's like finding that perfect series to binge watch and knowing it's got multiple seasons to enjoy.
I was quite surprised by how deep JCO got into fleshing out the character of Luther Amos Dunphy, the fundamentalist Christian who believed his act of murder was a testament to his faith. Oates went "in close," to use the boxing expression she cites repeatedly. I didn't expect that. Her writing expressed an empathy I found myself being vaguely sympathetic too. The thought of feeling sympathy for this character however was simultaneously repugnant too. It must be a testament to the strength of this writer to be able to inspire this confusing swirl of sympathies for a character. I'm quite happy to have discovered her writing, and to see how prolific she has been. It's like finding that perfect series to binge watch and knowing it's got multiple seasons to enjoy.