This dark post-modern novel examines a highly dysfunctional New Jersey family in lurid detail. Oates’s tale, seemingly inspired by the unsolved JonBenet murder mystery, explores what happens when parents sacrifice their children to promote their own selfish dreams and desires. True Oates fans may be willing to endure the psychic battering the book inflicts on the reader, taking solace in her moments of wry satire. For the novice, however, reading the book may feel like watching a horrific accident unfold. You want to look away (you really do), but your gaze remains fixed on the terrible carnage. Read this book at your own risk.
Submitted by Patricia Jempty
