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A review by cjeanne99
Babysitter by Joyce Carol Oates
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.75
Part historical fiction, part macabre, Joyce Carol Oates weaves the story of the 1970’s Oakland County “babysitter” murderer into her narrative of wealthy suburban Detroit mother who begins an affair with a man she meets at a fundraiser.
I did not like Hannah - our narrator - but I understood her. Coming of age in the 1960’s, Hannah is groomed to become a wife. She does so - marrying a man far wealthier than her background. Wes is the executive working in downtown Detroit, Hannah the housewife who is “mommy” when she wants to be, but turns over those responsibilities to the housekeeper when it’s convenient for her (Hannah).
While Hannah is lunching, fundraising and starting her affair with the mysterious Y.K. - children are being abducted from Oakland County homes and being murdered. Oates introduces a second plot line of “Mikey”, orphaned and abused by priests as a child, who now is subservient to a man he calls “Hawkeye” - performing whatever tasks need to be done, including murder.
Hannah is weak and sniveling. Esmelda is a stronger person than Hannah. Wes and Y.K. are both domineering, Wes out of love and Y.K. out of his desire for power. As the storylines converge, Oates’ presents a scenario that leaves you wondering - what just happened? And who is Y.K.?
I did not like Hannah - our narrator - but I understood her. Coming of age in the 1960’s, Hannah is groomed to become a wife. She does so - marrying a man far wealthier than her background. Wes is the executive working in downtown Detroit, Hannah the housewife who is “mommy” when she wants to be, but turns over those responsibilities to the housekeeper when it’s convenient for her (Hannah).
While Hannah is lunching, fundraising and starting her affair with the mysterious Y.K. - children are being abducted from Oakland County homes and being murdered. Oates introduces a second plot line of “Mikey”, orphaned and abused by priests as a child, who now is subservient to a man he calls “Hawkeye” - performing whatever tasks need to be done, including murder.
Hannah is weak and sniveling. Esmelda is a stronger person than Hannah. Wes and Y.K. are both domineering, Wes out of love and Y.K. out of his desire for power. As the storylines converge, Oates’ presents a scenario that leaves you wondering - what just happened? And who is Y.K.?