Dysfunction JunctionJoyce Carol Oates is an excellent writer and does a great job pulling you into this story of a murdered woman and two families that fall apart. I think she shows just how complicated and destructive family relationships can be. What I think is most interesting is how Oates’ main characters still cling to the idea of family, despite their estrangement.I have seen criticism of her writing style, saying it’s too repetitive and rambling. In this story, I think maybe she’s trying to show the way her characters are processing their thoughts and trying to cope by repeating themselves, a very human behavior.I was a little frustrated with the ending, not quite believing that Krissy would be satisfied with what is revealed. I also did not fully buy into the attraction between Krissy and Aaron.This is not a nice story. It’s often twisted, ugly, violent and depressing. But I liked it anyway because it made me think about and cheer for the characters, hoping they would find a way to happiness. It’s a hard read, though, and now I want to read something to make me laugh.And has anyone noticed how she likes to use certain words? Scrim, simulacrum and stippled seem to be three of her favorites! This is the tale of a murder, of two young people changed by the tragedy, and of their intersecting fates. As books in general go, it's a fine effort, but Oates has done much better work. The biggest problem I had with the book was that the first two sections move too slowly at times; we learn more about the daily events of the two main characters' lives than we would need to know to understand them well. Section 3 is brilliant, however, and the ending is just what I'd hoped for: it is beautifully written and brings fulfillment and closure. A fairly good 442 pages that, in my opinion, would have been wonderful if edited to 300 pages or so.
What do You think about Ave Del Paraíso (2009)?
Not for the faint hearted. Being a Joyce Carol Oates fan, I was pulled in and fascinated.
—Diana
Eh-wasn't that into it. Didn't find the story all that compelling.
—SarahHarty1
Good read, but ending a bit disappointing
—Lastarcher
