Book Overview
New York Times Bestselling AuthorBack in print in a new trade paperback edition, a classic Gothic novel from Joyce Carol Oates--a literary masterpiece of invention, artistry, and power "Bellefleur is... This description may be from another edition of this product.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0452267943
ISBN13:9780452267947
Release Date:September 1991
Publisher:Plume Books
Length:563 Pages
Weight:1.44 lbs.
Dimensions:1.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"
Customer Reviews
4 ratings
This book bumps Marquez down a notch
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 20 years ago
Next to Marquez's 100 Years of Solitude, Bellefleur has been the most entertaining and absording book I have ever read. Forget the meandering chronology, forget the "plot": this book is like a prosaic photo album of an extraordinary and haunted family that will leave you entirely drawn in. I picked this book up on a whim and am so glad I did, I find myself thinking about the characters still many months after reading it. For everyone who loves 100 Years of Solitude (and everyone else!), this book is an absolute must read.
One of the best novels ever written
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
I will admit from the outset that I am NOT a diehard Joyce Carol Oates fan, but in this book she manages to retain all of her strengths (her poetry, her characterizations) and somehow minimize all of her weaknesses (most notably what seems to be a real masochistic/sadistic streak--check out Blonde, for example). I've always read this as an homage of some sort to Garcia Marquez's 100 Years of Solitude, and even in comparison to the masterpiece that THAT book is--this well holds it own. It might even be better. (And if you can't sacrifice chronology to theme every once in a while, well, you might as well be reading Danielle Steele.)
THE Great American Novel
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 26 years ago
For me this is simply the finest novel ever penned, by anyone. Oates manages to capture a sweeping family saga and combine it with a living, breathing landscape in the shape the Chautaugua Valley. Bellefleur is a massive mansion in which generations of an American family have lived, died and prospered. Oates manages to hold onto the many narrative threads, interweave them and then bring the whole pattern to a dramatic and devastating conclusion. Simply awesome.
Another great story from a master storyteller
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 27 years ago
Joyce Carol Oates weaves unforgettable characters and fantastic storylines into this 500+ page masterpiece. Of the thousands of pages of fiction I read each year her characters remain the longest and most prominent in my memory. If you love a great story I highly recommend Bellefleur
Copyright © 2025 Thriftbooks.com
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information | Cookie Policy | Cookie Preferences | Accessibility Statement
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
