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bellebelly's review against another edition
1.0
Wow. I really did not like this book. I was about 1/3 of the way through by the time I decided I really didn't care for it, though, and I didn't have anything else to read at lunch, so I decided just to stick with it.
I recently read an interview with Joyce Carol Oates where she said this was the most autobiographical of all her books. If that's the case, apparently I violently dislike Joyce Carol Oates, or at least I would have when she was in college. The unnamed (or multi-named) protagonist leaves her emotionally distant family for college and proceeds to try to fill the need she feels for family. First, at a sorority, then with a guy. (I was greek in college, but my feelings towards this book aren't really related to the negative portrayal of the greek system. Her portrayal is fair, especially, I imagine, for the early 60's.) Neither of these attempts worked out. And if she had taken five minutes to think about the consequences of her actions, she would have seen what a debacle both would have been.
Usually I side with the outsiders, losers and weirdos, but this time I was siding with the pack. It's not just that the heroine here was a freak, it was that she didn't have any good reason for being one, or for putting herself in a situation where it would matter. And later, she's a snivelling synchophant with her black boyfriend (who she claims she fell in love with hearing his voice from the back of the class before she knew his race, but at this point in the book she is so eager to show up her former sorority sisters and other figures of authority and normalcy that the claim isn't credible).
The other thing about this book was that the descriptions of things like body functions & odor, dirty hair, stuffy rooms and even (actually, especially) food are graphic to the point of being nauseating. I wasn't wanting or expecting a book about a college girl to put me off my lunch!
I recently read an interview with Joyce Carol Oates where she said this was the most autobiographical of all her books. If that's the case, apparently I violently dislike Joyce Carol Oates, or at least I would have when she was in college. The unnamed (or multi-named) protagonist leaves her emotionally distant family for college and proceeds to try to fill the need she feels for family. First, at a sorority, then with a guy. (I was greek in college, but my feelings towards this book aren't really related to the negative portrayal of the greek system. Her portrayal is fair, especially, I imagine, for the early 60's.) Neither of these attempts worked out. And if she had taken five minutes to think about the consequences of her actions, she would have seen what a debacle both would have been.
Usually I side with the outsiders, losers and weirdos, but this time I was siding with the pack. It's not just that the heroine here was a freak, it was that she didn't have any good reason for being one, or for putting herself in a situation where it would matter. And later, she's a snivelling synchophant with her black boyfriend (who she claims she fell in love with hearing his voice from the back of the class before she knew his race, but at this point in the book she is so eager to show up her former sorority sisters and other figures of authority and normalcy that the claim isn't credible).
The other thing about this book was that the descriptions of things like body functions & odor, dirty hair, stuffy rooms and even (actually, especially) food are graphic to the point of being nauseating. I wasn't wanting or expecting a book about a college girl to put me off my lunch!
egoubet's review against another edition
4.0
Wow. Yet another great Joyce Carol Oates read. Not as dark as some of her other books, but still her trademark insight into the human psyche. And of course, one twist (there is always a twist) is that you never know the protagonists real name. Oates always loves a good twist. If you want a book that shows the inner workings of obsessive, lonely, young woman trying to find her place in the world, then this book is for you.
josephine_mariane's review against another edition
4.0
The book is divided into three parts. The first deals with the main character's time as a member of a sorority and the mental breakdown that ensues. The second part focuses on her obsessive love for a Black PhD philosophy student. And the last, and shortest part, follows her as she travels to Utah to see her father in his last days before he dies of cancer. The novel beautifully follows the winding paths of a mind that sometimes verges towards insanity. I especially adored the second part but I must say I was disappointed by the end. It isn't clear why the book should end at that moment, on that remark. It is an abrupt and unsatisfactory end to a dreamy, maddening exploration of the inner life of a young woman.
lizinthelibrary's review against another edition
3.0
Very good but not great. And great is what I've come to expect from Oates.
We nicely follow the story of the "unnamed" protaganist (that should have been an effective literary device and instead was overly contrived) as she descended in and out of mild instability. Rather an interesting psychological look, but perhaps it is my repressed midwestern ethics but it all seemed like a lot of strum und drang.
Recommended because anything Oates writes is better than 70% of the drivel out there, but recommended with reservations.
We nicely follow the story of the "unnamed" protaganist (that should have been an effective literary device and instead was overly contrived) as she descended in and out of mild instability. Rather an interesting psychological look, but perhaps it is my repressed midwestern ethics but it all seemed like a lot of strum und drang.
Recommended because anything Oates writes is better than 70% of the drivel out there, but recommended with reservations.
asterope's review against another edition
I tried my best with this as it's borrowed, but I opened it just now and was really struggling. Time to call it quits I think.
I liked the first half a lot actually. The narrator's spiralling obsessive thoughts were horribly real. It made me feel quite sad. The saga of her struggles living in the Kappa house captured my attention, and the writing lent itself to the experience. I never truly liked the protagonist, but was interested to see where she goes.
I found it difficult to concentrate on what's happening after she leaves the house though. I know this is mostly due to her state of mind, and therefore how the writing changes. But I wasn't enjoying it, and more specifically, wasn't feeling anything from it.
I liked the first half a lot actually. The narrator's spiralling obsessive thoughts were horribly real. It made me feel quite sad. The saga of her struggles living in the Kappa house captured my attention, and the writing lent itself to the experience. I never truly liked the protagonist, but was interested to see where she goes.
I found it difficult to concentrate on what's happening after she leaves the house though. I know this is mostly due to her state of mind, and therefore how the writing changes. But I wasn't enjoying it, and more specifically, wasn't feeling anything from it.
birdmanseven's review against another edition
4.0
I went back and forth on this book, but ended up really liking it, particularly part three. The story of this unnamed narrator is both depressing and engaging. What really sold me was the books closing line. It made me reconsider everything. Well played, JCO.
Podcast spotlight on Joyce Carol Oates: https://soundcloud.com/allthebooks/episode-6-threes-company-too
Podcast spotlight on Joyce Carol Oates: https://soundcloud.com/allthebooks/episode-6-threes-company-too
jennicakes's review against another edition
3.0
At times this was kind of a chore to get through, especially during the first part, but I think that's to be expected from a story that is so much about how a totally self-obsessed adolescent can have experiences that open her up and turn her into an adult.
jennicakes's review against another edition
3.0
At times this was kind of a chore to get through, especially during the first part, but I think that's to be expected from a story that is so much about how a totally self-obsessed adolescent can have experiences that open her up and turn her into an adult.
claireber's review against another edition
3.0
It’s was a good story, but didn’t grab me as much as I had hoped. My first book by this author, so will try something else another time.
abbie_'s review against another edition
2.0
You guys I’m so disappointed in this one! You might remember my ‘currently reading’ post for this one where I said I was really enjoying it... Turns out after Part One it just goes drastically downhill. I completely lost interest as it descended into philosophical ramblings and the main character becoming obsessed with her boyfriend, whereas the sorority aspect had seemed so promising to begin with.
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We had an unlikeable protagonist in a questionable sorority house setting which just sets up a whole host of interesting storylines... and then the protagonist falls in love with a mature black student, and a figure from her past she thought was dead comes back to life, and honestly I’ve forgotten what happened next because it was a struggle to keep my eyes open and I ended up starting East of Eden instead and I totally just skimmed Part Three - I ADMIT IT.
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BUT I won’t be giving up on JCO! I really liked her actual writing, and I’d like to try some of her darker, creepy stuff!
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We had an unlikeable protagonist in a questionable sorority house setting which just sets up a whole host of interesting storylines... and then the protagonist falls in love with a mature black student, and a figure from her past she thought was dead comes back to life, and honestly I’ve forgotten what happened next because it was a struggle to keep my eyes open and I ended up starting East of Eden instead and I totally just skimmed Part Three - I ADMIT IT.
.
BUT I won’t be giving up on JCO! I really liked her actual writing, and I’d like to try some of her darker, creepy stuff!
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