Reviews

My Heart Laid Bare by Joyce Carol Oates

bibliorow's review against another edition

4.0

This is a compelling story about a family of con artists and what happens to them as they’re caught up in the patriarch’s “Game.” I really liked this story, and I was invested in the Licht family’s various schemes and plots. The family ties and bonds were what made the story most interesting, and seeing how each of the children ended up while under their father’s thumb made me sad at times. There was emotion involved in this story that I felt clearly on the page, and it has the similar JCO writing style that I’ve gotten used to. I felt attachments to certain characters and members of the Licht family. The concept of this novel was what I liked most of all - a family of master manipulators and actors, con artists and scammers, pulling off schemes for years and years, at first a united front but eventually each member of the family ending up on their own path, for better or worse. Still have more JCO novels on my shelf to get through, but out of the ones I’ve read so far, this one ranks high!

m000n's review against another edition

5.0

This is one of Oates' more illustrious novels, one I would recommend to a newcomer looking to explore her work and worlds. Elucidates on themes of con artistry, family, race relations from England to the Mid-Atlantic Region in the late 1800s to Harlem in the '20s.brrilliant prose and very quotable. I couldn't put this book down, something to get lost in.

effortlessly_uncool's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

kellymat77's review against another edition

5.0

While wandering around my roommate’s hometown of Northampton, Massachusetts, we stopped in a bookstore called “The Raven” and I bought this book. Following the long, sordid history of the Licht family, My Heart Laid Bare was absolutely captivating. I love mysteries and scandals and crimes, so this family of con men (and women) held my full attention. This book is one of those where it is glaringly clear that the author is also a poet. The prose is gorgeous but intentionally confusing, and it’s easy to miss hints about what’s going on, especially because every character has a series of aliases. I really need to read more of Oates’ poetry. My one critique of this book is that the beginning was stronger than the end. I appreciated the collapse into insanity that Abraham faced towards the end, but I missed the convoluted tales of “The Game” from the earlier chapters. I’m still trying to figure out why this book struck such a strong chord with me, but I’m glad it did.

loreopoly's review against another edition

2.0

i just don't like oates. this was her third chance and even though i liked this better than the others i read i just can't get into her writing style.
if anyone has a suggestion as to the BEST oates i would love to hear it. i REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to like her because she has so much material out there that i figured she could keep me good and busy. but no such luck....

kdawn999's review against another edition

3.0

Think of this book as a less dramatic version of the movie Parasite—we have a money-hungry family playing a “game” in which they scam the rich out of millions. The main ingredient missing from these interesting characters and their ambitious schemes was any kind of culmination, climax, or resolution. It feels like JCO’s characters just sprang from her head and she let them roam 500 pages without knowing where to take them. I don’t think there is any thematic gift for readers here.

A couple of book club members suggested the story would have been better told through an unreliable first person memoir style, and I agree. That could have added a deeper thematic dimension to make everything cohere.

joannaautumn's review against another edition

3.0

Volim da čitam o antiherojima, porodičnim romanima, kada se u centru dela nalazi društvena kritika ali ne volim kada se roman rastegne do beskraja. Mislim da bi ovo "bolje funkcionisalo" kao duologija jer je poduhvat pročitati ovu knjigu odjednom, bez pauza koje bi trajale par dana između čitanja.
Da li te u potpunosti unese u život likova porodice Liht? Da.
Da li se priča o temama koje su i danas relevantne,

Spoiler

(rasizam, materijalizam, pohlepa, kritika temelja ametičkog društva)

kao što su bile prvih decenija dvadesetog veka za porodicu Liht? Da.
Da li čitalac mora izdvojiti par nedelja svog života gde će svoje čitalačko vreme u potpunosti, sa punom pažnjom posvetiti ovom romanu? Pa, možda i ne, ali u ličnom iskustvu, itekako da.
Solidan gotički roman koji će se svideti ljubiteljima žanra i biti zadovoljavajući svim ostalima.

heather1999's review

sad medium-paced

3.0

booksandquilts's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0