The Gravedigger's Daughter

I recently finished Joyce Carol Oates's The Gravedigger's Daughter. I've been stewing on it for a bit because as usual, Oates finishes with an open ending and leaves you with a lot of mixed emotions. And I generally stew for a day or two before I decide how I feel about a book. I always hated walking into class the morning after plowing through a novel and having to answer the question "So what'd you think?!"


But, I have to say, I was enthralled with this one. Rebecca is such a strong female lead, and Oates does a really amazing job of making you connect with her yet still leaving her a big mystery. You care, but you don't always understand what's making her tick, even if you think you do. There's so much interwoven into the plot, you could talk for days about all the themes and story lines that pop up. Female identity, male violence, racial differences, financial differences, geographical differences, love, motherhood, etc. etc. etc. It's a book that as soon as I finished, my fingers itched to plot out themes and discussions on paper. For me, that's a sign that the book reached me and got me thinking.

You don't have to read it so deep though. At its base, the book is a story about a girl surviving. Surviving murder, surviving abuse, surviving motherhood, surviving life. Like I said, I was captivated by Rebecca. I think Oates is an author that provokes more questions than she gives answers, at least from the selection I've read. The plot isn't the predictable "girl figures out who she is after some typical boy-girl hardships", and the answers don't come easy for Rebecca. There's a sense of triumph and its costs, and the sacrifices one must make for "the better life".

I can't tell you exactly what it is, but Joyce Carol Oates is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. I've read Black Water and Blonde, as well as a small selection of her short stories. I'm always captivated by her writing and her characters. While I love my fluff, I really love a book that makes you question. I think Oates is a master of creating a world where there are more questions than answers, and the reader is searching for the answers as eagerly as the character.

This is probably a vague review of the book, but I'm trying not to give too much of the plot away. I was going to quote the Amazon review, but I feel like it gives a bunch of spoilers that are better left unknown. (Note: don't read the Amazon editorial reviews! Go to a bookstore and read the book's jacket instead). And then go back and buy the book on Amazon, because it's currently only $6.40, and I promise I paid more than that when I bought it at Borders a few months back.

I don't think your taste in books matters much, almost anyone could find something they love in this book. So read it. And then pick up some more Joyce Carol Oates. I'm slowly compiling a list of books and authors I need to read (I'm at the stage where I'm thinking I should start this list), and I'm fairly certain finishing all of Oates's novels will be on that list.

Oh, and if you're not ready for such a hefty read, try Black Water instead. It's loosely based on a popular Kennedy (think senator and tragic car accident/drowning), and it's an astounding work. I.could.not.put.it.down. And it's short, so you could knock it out in an afternoon if you wanted to.

Basically, I really think you should try reading Joyce Carol Oates. And I'm so captivated by The Gravedigger's Daughter, I don't even know what to say about it besides read it! You'll love it, or at least have very strong emotions in response to it.