A review by pbraue13
The Lost Landscape: A Writer's Coming of Age by Joyce Carol Oates

3.0

A decent and simple look at parts of this author's adolescence, mainly focused on her relationship with her parents. They are, by far, the heart of this book. It is not so much a true memoir of a life, but rather small looks at things that influenced Oates as a writer and shaped her, yet I felt that the writer herself was never really revealed fully. I guess she wasn't meant to? I don't know. What I do know is that I liked what I read, but was left a little bit wanting. I have noticed that sometimes this happens with Joyce Carol Oates and me, either her books are too long and meandering or (in this case) not long enough and it is the ones that are just in between that tickle that sweet spot for me. She's a fabulous writer, no doubt. As a writer myself, this book I think is one I am glad to have read and recommend to other aspiring authors and writers, especially fans of Oates.