Friday, November 29, 2013

Review: The Sweetest Hallelujah

The Sweetest Hallelujah
By Elaine Hussey
Harlequin MIRA July 2013
337 pages
From the library

The Sweetest Hallelujah

Betty Jewel Hughes finds herself in a terrible situation. Her cancer is terminal, her mother is elderly, and her daughter's father is not around. Who can she count on to take care of her beautiful, free-spirited daughter Billie? Seemingly out of options, she takes out an ad in a local newspaper. The advertisement is answered by Cassie Malone, an outspoken white widow. Can Cassie's secret connection to Billie help her to save this terrified family? 

I had a tough time getting through this book. My first issue was suspension of belief. The book focuses on Betty Jewel, a sassy former jazz singer who is at her wit's end because she can't seem to find anyone to care for her daughter. That was my first moment where things didn't quite make sense. Betty Jewel is agonizing over this while she spends time with her two best friends, one of whom is a mother herself. I never understood why she considered them unacceptable guardians. Then Cassie waltzes into the picture. Cassie is stubborn and independent and not about to be stopped by the fact that she is white and the Hughes family is black. Against the advice of her family and friends, she plows right into a very dangerous situation, in spite of the racial violence that is breaking out all over. 

Then there is the relationship between Cassie and Betty Jewel. Cassie discovers a secret that gives her a serious interest in Billie's future. Without giving away too much, I will just say that this discovery should drive a wedge between the two women. Instead, there are a few pages of strife and then the two women are bosom buddies.  In the space of a very short time, they go from women who had never spoken to each other to unofficial family. I never really believed their bond.

Ultimately, either this book or this reader suffers from The Help syndrome. It seemed as if Elaine Hussey decided to sit down and write a book about a white women who was able to save the day for a black family and a rare friendship that was forged across racial lines. At the very least, I think we have to be careful about how many times we can write and read this kind of story in light of the awful reality of our country's history. The connections never rang true for me and I found this book to be a difficult read. 

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Wednesdays with David: Weird But True!

Weird But True! 300 Outrageous Facts
By the National Geographic Society
National Geographic 2010
199 pages
From our shelves 


The story: This book is a collection of cool and crazy facts, compiled by the National Geographic Society. The facts are written in different fonts and colors and accompanied by pictures. This book is perfect for any kid interested in nature, animals, or interesting tidbits! 

Mama opines: This series would be a great starting point for a mama or dad looking to inject some nonfiction into a little person's reading choices. The facts are really interesting and cover just about every topic you could imagine. This book could be a fun bedtime read or maybe just a conversation starter with your family. 

Thoughts from David: Well, here I am, reading my first Weird but True book. I can't believe it has so many facts! 
Favorite fact: Your body contains about 60,000 miles of blood vessels. 


Happy Reading! 

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Review: Songs of Willow Frost

Songs of Willow Frost
By Jamie Ford
Ballantine Books September 2013
319 pages
From the library

Songs of Willow Frost

William Eng has lived at Sacred Heart Orphanage in Seattle since he was seven years old. On the day the orphanage when celebrates birthdays, the boy are taken to see a movie. On the screen high above him, William sees a woman who looks just like his mother. With his friend Charlotte, William sets out to find his mother and find out the truth about why she left him behind.

A few years ago, there was a lot of buzz about a book called Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. While I heard good things about it, I didn't get a chance to read it myself. When Ford's new book came out, I read endless good reviews and then decided I should read it. It was a wonderful decision.

Songs of Willow Frost is one of those amazing stories that sucks you right in from the first page and never lets go. Mr. Ford bring history to life with ease. While there are many books about the discrimination faced by African Americans, there are fewer that tell of the hatred that Chinese people faced in this nation. Willow finds herself in an impossible situation - she is Chinese in a country that sees her as a second class citizen, she is without family in a culture that values connection, and she is a single mother at a time when that was shameful in any realm of society. While I think many of us know of the horrid conditions during the Great Depression, Ford shows us just how dangerous it was to be a woman or child when there was no one to fight for them.

The things that happen to Willow and to William will break your heart and then, just when you have recovered, they will break your heart all over again. Writing from a child's point of view can be challenging, but I think Ford really captures the pain and hope that William feels as he realizes he might have a family after all. Our perceptions of Willow change as we read this story. At the beginning, we can't help but despise her for leaving behind her son. As we learn what happened to her and the difficult choices she faced, our anger turns into sympathy.

Songs of Willow Frost is an engaging story presented by an excellent writer. The history is impeccably researched, the pacing is perfect, and the characters will quickly find a place in your heart. This book is historical fiction at its best.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

It's Monday and I need to get reading!


I sort of ran out of books this week. It seems like I need to hunker down and read because I suddenly realized it was time to write the review for the book I was currently reading. I'm usually pretty good about being a few books ahead on my review schedule, but somewhere along the way I lost that advantage. Time to stop typing and get back to reading!


Read This Week:
The Sweetest Hallelujah
The Sweetest Hallelujah
By Elaine Husey

Songs of Willow Frost
Songs of Willow Frost
By Jamie Ford


Posts from this Past Week:
It's Monday
Wednesdays with David: Lego Star Wars Character Encyclopedia 
Reviews of The Maid's Version and The Returned


Reading Now:
The Facades
The Facades
By Eric Lundgren


Up Next:
Novel Ideas

Novel Ideas
By K. B. Dixon


What are you reading this week?

Friday, November 22, 2013

Review: The Returned

The Returned
By Jason Mott
Harlequin MIRA August 2013
338 pages
From the library

The Returned

My review of The Returned is up at the Atlantic Highlands Herald. You can read it here.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Wednesdays with David: Lego Star Wars Character Encyclopedia

Lego Star Wars Character Encyclopedia
Written by Hannah Dolan with Elizabeth Dowsett, Shari Last, and Victoria Taylor
DK Publishing 2011
205 pages
From the library


The story: There isn't a story here really. This book is a guide to all of the Lego Star Wars characters and play sets. It does, however, give some background information about each character. 

Mama opines: Those people over at Lego are quite clever, aren't they? This is really a little boy shopping list disguised in book form. It is rather helpful for making the Christmas list though...

Thoughts from David: Well, here we are, reading another Lego Star Wars book. It's been a lot of time since we read one of those. Ok, there's at least 200 pages in this Lego Star Wars book. I like that there are so many Lego sets in here, like the Hoth Rebel Base. Now, let's get on to my favorite set! 
Favorite Lego set: The Jedi Starfighter Set 


Happy Reading! 

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Review: The Maid's Version

The Maid's Version
By Daniel Woodrell
Little, Brown, and Company September 2013
164 pages
From the library

The Maid's Version

In 1929, the town of West Table, Missouri is literally rocked when a popular dance hall explodes. No one is ever arrested for the crime, but there are many suspects. Was it a mobster looking to silence someone forever? Did the band of gypsies wandering through town have something to do with it? Or was it the local minister who thought the dance hall was a den of sin? Alma DeGeer Dunahew thinks she knows who is responsible. Her free spirited sister Ruby was having an affair with a married man and Alma thinks that relationship led to the death of every person in that dance hall, including Ruby.

The Maid's Version is presented as a sort of mystery, but it's more of a case study of small town life. This short book features small chapters, each of which focus on different citizens of the town. This has two effects - it really gives the readers a tapestry of the many people living in a small town, but it can also be quite jarring to have to place a new person each time you begin a chapter. Alma is getting old and finally gives her grandson permission to reveal what she believes happened on that fateful day. Her confession bring family secrets to life, but it also brings closure to a family that was devastated by the explosion and its aftermath. 

This book is one that should be read in a straight shot because it makes it easier to keep track of the many characters and their connections. Mr. Woodrell really manages to capture the unhurried feeling of a small Missouri town in his characters, in his pacing, and with his language. This is not a mystery with any urgency. Instead, we sit alongside an elderly relative who will eventually get to her point...but she has a lot to tell you first.

For a story that is finally going to clear up a mystery, the actual reveal seemed sort of haphazard to me. Part of this has to do with the abundance of characters. It's difficult to feel as if you really know or care about any of these people, including Alma, Ruby, and the person responsible for the explosion. While many readers may guess who the culprit is, the events leading up to the explosion felt random. It almost seems as if Woodrell picked plot devices out of a hat. 

The Maid's Version is a good pick for readers who like certain types of stories - multiple points of view, a mystery that has been obscured for years, and a look into the eccentricities and secrets of small town residents. For a short book, it can be a slow read as the reader must untangle the webs of Woodrell's prose, the character's relationships, and the many threads of this mystery. 

Sunday, November 17, 2013

It's Monday and this week flew by!


Ah, where did this week go? David had some half days because of parent/teacher conferences. We had the normal schedule of meetings and rehearsals. Everyone was feeling a bit under the weather this weekend, including baby girl who is the proud owner of two teeth. I feel like everyone could use a nice long nap!


Read This Week:
The Maid's Version
The Maid's Version
By Daniel Woodrell


The Returned
The Returned
By Jason Mott


Posts from this Past Week:
It's Monday
Wednesdays with David: The Way of the Apprentice
Reviews of The Mad Scientist's Daughter, Bellman and Black, and We Are Water


Reading Now:
The Sweetest Hallelujah
The Sweetest Hallelujah
By Elaine Hussey


Up Next:
Songs of Willow Frost
Songs of Willow Frost
By Jamie Ford


What are you reading this week?

Friday, November 15, 2013

Review: We Are Water

We Are Water
By Wally Lamb
Harper October 2013
561 pages
From the library

We Are Water

Anna Oh is ready to embark on a new stage of life. Her children are grown, she has separated from her husband and she is about to marry Viveca, her art dealer. The wedding will take place in Three Rivers, Conneticut, where the Oh children grew up. The family is in shambles - oldest daughter Ariane has made a giant decision without the input of her family, Andrew is engaged to a very opinionated young woman, and Marissa is trying to make her way in the tumultuous world of acting. Annie's ex-husband Orion is unsure where to go next, as his marriage and career have both ended. The family's reunion will unearth secrets from each of their lives, as well as long-buried secrets from the history of Three Rivers itself. 

Wally Lamb manages to take a very typical plot point - a family coming together for a wedding - and turn it on its head. The characters in this story are so well developed. That could have something to do with the almost 600 pages that it takes to tell the story, but I think it has more to do with Lamb's craftsmanship. Each one of the characters feels nuanced and alive. You will care about their stories because they feel like people you know. 

Mr. Lamb has two incredible gifts as an author. The first is to make connections between the past and the present. While the primary narrative is about the Oh family, we also learn about the history and people of Three Rivers, Connecticut. The Oh family home was once home to another artist who died under mysterious circumstances. This author succeeds at making dual story lines equally interesting and making them converge in interesting and surprising ways. 

The second thing that Lamb excels at is bringing humanity to very flawed people. There were two characters in this book who, at some moments, really made my stomach turn. These people do horrific things and they aren't excused for their actions. But you do have to sit with them for a while and hear their stories to see the ways in which abuse engenders more abuse. In reading this book, we find that sins of omission can be just as devastating as willful acts and that everyone is guilty in some way. 

Wally Lamb is an incredibly talented writer. Reading one of his novel is not a casual venture. It is a choice to get to know a set of characters and immerse yourself in their lives, their pain, and their joy. We Are Water is a fitting addition to Lamb's canon. 



My reviews of Wally Lamb's I Know This Much is True and The Hour I First Believed  

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Review: Bellman and Black

Bellman and Black: A Ghost Story 
By Diane Setterfield
Atria Books November 2013
320 pages
Read via Netgalley 

Bellman & Black: A Ghost Story

William Bellman is a fortunate man. His business is thriving and his family is large and happy. One day, his fortune turns and each person he cares about is taken from him. At each funeral, he sees a mysterious man that no one can seem to place. After his wife's death, he drunkenly visits the graveyard where he finally speaks with the mysterious man. He can't remember the bargain he made that night, but he knows that things start to go his way again. His daughter Dora survives the disease that took the rest of his family and Bellman has an idea for a new business venture, one that cannot fail. But what did he promise in return for his success?

I adored Setterfield's debut novel The Thirteenth Tale. It was the perfect blend of creepy and literary and it is a favorite story that I will read over and over again. I was so excited to see that Setterfield had written a new novel and I thought that a ghost story would be perfect for a Halloween read. Unfortunately, Bellman and Black is not a very good ghost story. It's not at all frightening and the mysterious man only appears on a handful of pages, although his presence is felt throughout. 

I saw someone refer to it as a parable, and I think that is a much better description of this novel. The characters do not feel particularly fleshed out. While there are a lot of characters who surround William, we spend very little time with any of them and so we don't care about them very much. William himself feels rather flat. We experience his emotion, especially when his loved ones begin dying, but it's still difficult to connect with him. Perhaps this owes something to the meticulous nature with which Setterfield describes his work; she writes in great details about both of his businesses, which leaves little time to really learn about the man who runs them. 

Throughout the story, we see and learn about the mysterious birds known as rooks. The books opens with William as a child. He takes what his friends believe to be an impossible bet and attempts to hit a far-off bird with his slingshot. He succeeds and the bird falls to the ground, dead. The rooks are the storytellers, the one who watch William for his whole life. I can see what the author was trying to do with this, but it never quite seemed to fit with the main narrative. 

Bellman and Black is not a bad book. But The Thirteenth Tale was such a fascinating and well-crafted story that this book falls very flat in comparison. The greatest problem is that subtitle. If it had not been marketed as a ghost story, I think that this book would have been better received.  There is no doubt that Diane Setterfield is a very talented author. Unfortunately the lack of characterization and the bizarre marketing decision leave this book far behind her previous novel. 

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Wednesdays with David: The Way of the Apprentice

Star Wars Jedi Quest: The Way of the Apprentice
By Jude Watson
Scholastic Paperbacks 2002
176 pages
From the library 


The story: Anakin Skywalker is strong in the ways of the force. He's a good pilot and great with a lightsaber, but he's a bit of a loose cannon. His quick temper worries his teacher Obi-Wan Kenobi. When the pair is on a mission, Anakin and Obi-Wan become separated. Can Anakin and three other apprentices save the Jedi Masters?

Mama opines: It's confession time. I only read a few chapters of this with David. The rest of it was all on his own. But I have to confess that while I'm a bit taken aback by my little boy's love of battle, this Star Wars fan is proud to be adding a new little Jedi to the bunch.

Thoughts from David: Well, another Star Wars book read today. Now let's get on to my favorite characters. #1 - Anakin Skywalker. #2 - Obi-Wan Kenobi. #3 - Soara Antana. That's all. Now, I present my favorite thing from the story. I like that they go on a mission.
Favorite part: When Anakin slices seven droids in a row with one swing!


Happy Reading! 

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Review: The Mad Scientist's Daughter

The Mad Scientist's Daughter
By Cassandra Rose Clarke
Angry Robot January 2013
391 pages
Read via Netgalley

The Mad Scientist's Daughter

Cat is a normal girl in many respects. She has a father and a mother. She loves to play outside. She is insatiably curious. But Cat doesn't go to school like other children. Instead, she has a tutor who happens to be an android. Finn is her teacher, her best friend, and the one constant in her tumultuous life. As Cat grows up, will she find a way to reconcile her feelings for this robot who supposedly cannot ever return her love?

For me, The Mad Scientist's Daughter took a while to find its footing. Because this story follows Cat for so many years, it is jarring at times to jump from a few days when she is five to an event several years later. I understand that the back story is important, but I wonder if there was a better way to convey it. Once we get to Cat as an adult, the story takes off in that wonderful "can't put it down" sort of way.

This minor issue aside, I really enjoyed this story. Clarke explores what it means to be human in a new and interesting way. Cat is a complicated character and she is not instantly likable. She sometimes makes really terrible decisions, even with the knowledge that the consequences will be severe  for herself or others. It's a bold decision to make the protagonist of your novel someone who is often selfish and shuts off her feelings, but it creates a great contrast between Cat's reluctance to connect with the people in her life and Finn's confusion over how much he can feel. 

This novel is marketed as sci-fi and it is that, to some extent. We read briefly about the condition of Cat's world and it is obviously a time that is a bit different from ours, since androids are a regular part of life. But there isn't a lot of time spent on the ramifications of technology or how their society came to be. This novel is really a story about love and relationships. 

The Mad Scientist's Daughter was a pleasant surprise. I wasn't sure this book would work for me, but Clarke's writing won me over. She manages to take a selfish, angry character and make her interesting and someone you root for in spite of her many failings. This story reminds its readers of the importance of love in every time and place. 

Sunday, November 10, 2013

It's Monday and I'm ready for the new week!

Hey friends. How are you doing?

We had a really good weekend. My husband had some days off, so he  turned off the cell phone and computer and it was so nice. We had a lazy afternoon after church on Sunday and read (me and David), watched football (hubby and David) and napped (everyone except David!).

I wasn't sure I was going to finish We Are Water this week, but I did it. Now onto the giant stack of library books, all of which have come in during the past week!

Read This Week:
Bellman & Black: A Ghost Story
Bellman and Black
By Diane Setterfield

We Are Water
We Are Water
By Wally Lamb


Posts from this Past Week:
It's Monday
October Wrap-Up
Wednesdays with David: Boris on the Move
Reviews of Jesus Feminist and The Pure Gold Baby


Reading Now:
The Maid's Version
The Maid's Version
By Daniel Woodrell


Up Next:
The Returned
The Returned
By Jason Mott

What are you reading this week?

Friday, November 8, 2013

Review: The Pure Gold Baby

The Pure Gold Baby
By Margaret Drabble
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2013
291 pages
From the library

The Pure Gold Baby

Jessica Spreight is an anthropology student in 1960s London. She is a rising star among her peers, excelling at her work and garnering the praise of her professors. One professor in particular is very taken with her and she ends up having his child. Anna is not a usual baby - she is lovely and always cheerful, but it is clear she will never become a functioning adult. The Pure Gold Baby is an unflinching look at a mother trying to raise her daughter and the community that came together to support them.

I had a really hard time reading this book. The story could be interesting - a single mother trying to raise her child with special needs, but Drabble places the readers at a distinct distance from the characters. The story is narrated not by Jessica or Anna, but by a friend. She relates their story, as well as many of her own, in a flat manner. It almost feels as if we are reading an anthropological study instead of a novel. We learn about the characters, but always from a safe distance.

Nellie states that Jess doesn't know that she is writing down her story. She doesn't think that she will like it or that she will ever ability tell her what she has done. She never states exactly why she felt the impulse to write the details of their lives.That bothered me a lot and as I kept turning the pages, I was waiting to find the impetus for this book. We never find out and I couldn't figure out why the narrator considered it vital or why I should find it important either. 

The book does look at the interesting ways in which society changes over a lifetime. We see the evolution in care for the disabled and the ways that being a wife and mother change and continue to stay the same. I was usually interested, but I was never invested in the characters or what was happening to them. Margaret Drabble is a writer who is respected and revered by many readers and other writers, but I was underwhelmed by The Pure Gold Baby. 

Thursday, November 7, 2013

October Wrap-Up

The craziness has begun. I always feel that as soon as Halloween is over, we are in full holiday mode. The next two months will be chock full of Thanksgiving, Christmas, a sixth birthday, and all of the little details that accompany the big days. Send help (and pumpkin coffee creamer!)

With regards to reading, this month was rather underwhelming. There were a few books that I loved, but most of them I was ambivalent about.

Books reviewed in October: 11
Pages Read: 3,572
Fiction/Non-fiction: 8/3
Female authors/male authors: 8/3
My books/library books: 5/6
Lindsey's favorite books in October: A Guide for the Perplexed and When We Were on Fire 

Books Reviewed with David: 4
David's favorite book in October: Good Luck, Anna Hibiscus! 


What was your favorite book in October?



Happy November from the tiniest and cutest of readers!

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Wednesdays with David: Boris on the Move

Boris on the Move
By Andrew Joyner
Scholastic 2011
72 pages
From the library 

Boris on the Move (Boris #1: A Branches Book)

The story: Boris lives with his mom and dad in a bus that used to travel around the world. Now it stays safely parked in their yard. One day, the bus starts with a jolt and Boris and his family are off again. He discovers that you don't need to travel to Africa or China to go on an amazing adventure.

Mama opines: This would be an excellent choice for a first chapter book for your little guy or girl. The chapters are short and there are plentiful illustrations. The characters talk by bubble, which will be familiar to children who love comic books. I know a book is a winner when David is begging me to get the rest of the series as soon as he finishes the first book!

Thoughts from David: Boris is a monster who longs for adventure. He is very excited when the bus he lives in starts to move! Then they start driving and then they slow down, turn off the road, and stop. Boris is very creative. He also hopes that one day he can go on another adventure.
Favorite part: When Boris finds a kitten.


Happy Reading! 

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Review: Jesus Feminist

Jesus Feminist: An Invitation to Revisit the Bible's View of Women
By Sarah Bessey
Howard Books November 2013
240 pages
Received via Netgalley

Jesus Feminist: An Invitation to Revisit the Bible’s View of Women


Jesus and Feminist. Those two words don't usually spend a lot of time together. Feminism is often viewed as anti-religion and it seems as if there is no place for feminism in the generations of patriarchal tradition that are foundational to the church. But Sarah Bessey argues that Jesus was a feminist, that Christ himself challenged the women he encountered to use all of their gifts and to come and follow Him. She invites us to stop arguing and share our stories with each other. Through our stories and our honesty, we will find unity and draw closer to the God who made us as men and women.

This book is perhaps best described as a warm hug from a very smart and very compassionate lady. In the introduction, Bessey invites you to lay down your tightly held ideas about what it means to be a woman in the church. Instead, she takes your hand and leads you outside to share a good bottle of wine and dig your toes into the sand as you share your story of the ways you have been hurt or pushed aside, the people who have been Jesus to you, and the moments when God found you and loved you at your most vulnerable. 

Although Sarah has described herself as a "happy clappy" Christian, this does not mean that she has not done her research. She examines the moment when Jesus spoke to women, when he healed them and when he taught them alongside his male disciples. Bessey even tackles those troublesome passages where we read that women should be quiet in church and are not allowed to teach. She does so with a level head and in the context of its time and place, the other books that accompany it in the Bible, and the Abba God who inspired it all. 

Jesus Feminist does not limit itself to the Americanized churches that we find on our street corners. Bessey points out that the world fails women over and over again, by limiting them, by denigrating them, even by murdering them. Followers of Christ should be the ones to change the broken system, not the ones contributing to it. We are challenged to be a voice for justice for men and especially for women all over the world. 

It sounds cliche, but this book made me laugh and it made me cry (all within the first ten pages). Best of all, it challenged me to rethink some of the most controversial and highly debated sections of Scripture. If we believe that God is the God of love, then he loves women too. He created men and He created women and He has big plans for us all, if we are willing to lay down our petty arguments and precise definitions and just walk together in love. With Jesus Feminist, Sarah Bessey has given us a gift - an opportunity to share our stories and learn how to better love God and each other. 

Sunday, November 3, 2013

It's Monday and November Is Here!


This was a crazy busy week! There was Halloween of course - I helped out with the party in David's class and we went trick or treating. We also had a friend's birthday party, a church potluck, and all of the other stuff that comprises a week!

And because I like you all so much, here are some cutie Halloween pictures. I give you Minnie Mouse and Optimus Prime, respectively.

           


Now, about those books...


Read This Week:
The Mad Scientist's Daughter
The Mad Scientist's Daughter
By Cassandra Rose Clarke


Posts from this Past Week:
It's Monday
Wednesdays with David: Good Luck, Anna Hibiscus! 
Reviews of By NightfallRose Under Fire, and We Were The Mulvaneys


Reading Now:
Bellman & Black: A Ghost Story
Bellman and Black
By Diane Setterfield


Up Next:
We Are Water
We Are Water
By Wally Lamb


What are you reading this week?

Friday, November 1, 2013

Review: We Were The Mulvaneys

We Were The Mulvaneys
By Joyce Carol Oates
Penguin Group 1997
454 pages
From my shelves

We Were the Mulvaneys

The Mulvaneys are a blessed family. The family business is doing well and their home is filled with the loud, happy chaos of many children and animals. Mike and Corrine are proud and supportive of their children and each one of the kids has their own special place in the family. Michael Jr. is the oldest and a star athlete, Marianne is the only girl and a beauty, Patrick is obsessed with science, and Judd is the baby of the family. The family is respected in the community and their futures look very bright. But their happiness comes to an abrupt end when something terrible happens to Marianne. The family is ripped apart and it seems that only a miracle could bring the Mulvaneys back together.

This is my first time reading a Joyce Carol Oates novel and it seems less like reading a book and more like an immersive experience. Oates is so meticulous in creating both her characters and her locations that you feel as if you are sitting off to the side watching the family drama take place. This book has a particular resonance with current events, although it was written almost two decades ago and takes place in the 1970s and 1980s. In all this time, we haven't learned how to care for victims without exploiting them further or how to support our neighbors when they need us the most. 

The members of the Mulvaney family make some truly terrible decisions. But perhaps it's an indication of how invested you become as a reader when you find yourself saying out loud, "Oh no, don't do that," and "Really? That's how you are going to react?". The Mulvaneys have the capacity to wound each other as only loved ones do and they wield that power brutally. As Judd narrates, he realizes even his own inability to really convey the events as they happened. He knows that "....nothing between human beings isn't uncomplicated and there's no way to speak of human beings without simplifying and misrepresenting them." 

This is a long book and it often feels that way, if only because Oates loves description. You will be well acquainted with every single inch of the Mulvaney farm by the time you are done. This story is a very slow burn, which turns off a lot of readers. I think you have to approach it the way you would a Charles Dickens story or a big old Russian novel. These are characters that you are going to spend a long time with - for them, it's a lifetime even if it's only a few days for you. 

This novel is perhaps best described as a family saga or an American tragedy. Because the Mulvaneys had everything, their downfall is that much more tragic. Their inability to pull themselves back up and the unwillingness of their community to help them is painful to experience. In We Were the Mulvaneys, Joyce Carol Oates achieves what few authors can - she makes you care about her characters at their strongest and brightest and then just as much at their basest, their cruelest, and their most broken moments.