I could not stop reading the story, compelled by Joyce Carol Oates, the strength of her character, the power of the language, and the narrative flow, until the satisfying end.
The shift in tone is beautiful. The joy with which she refers to him as "my lover" and the bitterness in her tone with "your husband" suggests both the jealousy for the wife and the downfall in her own relationship with him.
I appreciate the musical flow of the story. Punctuation is used only to emphasize this rhythm, and thus the reader is pulled along, in a trance, through the connection of words and punctuations. Oates is good at staying in the moment and in the head of her character; the deconstruction of "the other woman" dilemma is superb.
Sabrina Dawkins Dawkins replied on Sun, 09/28/2008 - 02:49am
This story grabbed my attention from the start and didn't let it go. It flows like classic poetry. I felt it, saw it, and smelled it. Well crafted pov. You are not exactly drawing sympathy for the adulterers but displaying the deep and genuine pain adultery causes everyone involved. A wonderfully written piece of art.
Sophia Simmons replied on Tue, 09/30/2008 - 08:44pm
What an amazing conversation! The ending seems to sum it up.
Haunting, hypnotic, and extraordinarily truthful.
I could not stop reading the story, compelled by Joyce Carol Oates, the strength of her character, the power of the language, and the narrative flow, until the satisfying end.
Satisfying. Yes, like sex.
Brilliant. It is difficult to sustain a second person narrative, and here the tensions are taut - I started reading and couldn't stop.
The shift in tone is beautiful. The joy with which she refers to him as "my lover" and the bitterness in her tone with "your husband" suggests both the jealousy for the wife and the downfall in her own relationship with him.
As a poet, I especially admired the intensity and rhythm of the prose, beginning with the first sentence and the repetitions of bed and cocoon.
Brilliant, haunting, beautiful writing. I loved it.
It touched the core of my being. Compassion, jealousy, envy, love -- for the wife. I know how it feels. I know!
Her writing is magical, hypnotic. Inspiring. Thank you.
I couldn't help but think the wife probably felt lonely too. Beautiful ending, great journey through the night.
I appreciate the musical flow of the story. Punctuation is used only to emphasize this rhythm, and thus the reader is pulled along, in a trance, through the connection of words and punctuations. Oates is good at staying in the moment and in the head of her character; the deconstruction of "the other woman" dilemma is superb.
This story grabbed my attention from the start and didn't let it go. It flows like classic poetry. I felt it, saw it, and smelled it. Well crafted pov. You are not exactly drawing sympathy for the adulterers but displaying the deep and genuine pain adultery causes everyone involved. A wonderfully written piece of art.