We Were the Mulvaneys

I have to say that I'm often disappointed with the reactions to various books by American readers. For instance, I still can't understand why books like "Bridget Jones' Diary," John Grisham's books, and "The Ya Ya's" are so successful and have so many people gushing over how good they are. Those books are so superficial! I LOVED "We Were the Mulvaneys." I feel that every main character was very well-developed. I certainly did not agree with the parents' actions, but that doesn't mean they didn't react in a realistic way, especially given the time period and their background circumstances. Joyce Carol Oates did a wonderful job in not only developing the characters, but also in describing the setting. I could feel the wind of High Point Farm, and smell the animals. Yes, the plot may have moved too slowly for John Grisham fans, but to me, every detail was essential to the story's unfolding. Many reviewers get mixed up in distinguishing between what the characters do and the author's writing ability. But one doesn't have to approve of how Mike Sr. behaves to appreciate Joyce Carol Oates as a masterful writer. I loved this book, and I miss it already!

Seldom have I felt so much a part of the story as I did with the Mulvaney family. Despite the lengthy prose throughout I felt Joyce Carol Oates wrote from her heart to make the reader feel a part of the story.This book takes us on one family's journey through life and shows the reader how one decision made by Corrine and Mike Mulvaney changed the whole course of their family history. Throughout the story I felt a part of each family member's sadness and joy. I found myself rooting for Marianne and wanting to throw something at big Mike. A book that evoked so much emotion in my mind is a sign of a truly gifted writer.

I have read several of Joyce Carol Oates' Books and consider her one of my favorite authors. This is my favorite of her books because by the end of reading it I had come to truly love each character. I cared about what happened to them, and I was sad when the book ended. Oates did an amazing job of creating very real-life people with real experiences, and I think the true test of her writing skills is how she impacts the reader. I felt a true connection with her characters. And while she presented a tragedy in the book, she dealt with it tastefully, showing realistically how a family might fall apart and then come together again. I felt her story was one of hope, and I was very uplifted by reading this book. It remains one of my all-time favorite books.

The Oprah book club selections are certainly getting more complex! This book will strike an immediate chord to a family 'putting on airs' yet within the house having its problems. It hithome for me and will most likely hit home for many others because we know of families that seem perfect.... and often we find out much later what was truly happening. I do not believe that the choice of Mt. Ephraim as the hometown of the Mulvaneys was by accident. Ephraim and Manasseh were sons of Joseph - and while the latter committed heinous crimes against all moral authority, Ephraim was a redeemer. A striking metaphor against which much hurt is set - and one missed by the editorial reviewers. This family functions quite well - all that we'd say is 'too good to be true' *is* actually true until Marianne, the girl so beautifully described that we actually *feel* she's the 'girl next door' to *us* is sexually assaulted. Actually, we are never told whether it was rape or consensual. And the beauty of this is that for the purposes of this story it doesn't matter. It is the *effect* of the assault on the family that begins their descent. I will not spoil the book by telling you the details as to how each of the brothers and the parents fall off their respective wagons. But the cumulative effect is devasting, as told by the narrator, a now adult youngest brother Judd. How can such a complete destruction of a classic nuclear family be a book I'd want to read? Because as someone once said, it is when a man stares into the abyss that he finds his character. Suffice it to say that when you are done with this book you will feel as though you knew the Mulvaneys, suffered with them, and wonder how you would have reacted. I believe everyone can relate to one or more of the characters in this book. I also believe that this book is a *must* read. If you want a book that will make you think realistically about life's challenges - and not give you answers, but rather present situations that make you think about how you would respond, this is the book for you. The cliche that we learn more from our mistakes than our successes never applied more. And all of us can probably stand to look at this side of life. As with 'The Dark Side of the Light Chasers', it is by looking at our human frailties and faults, shining the light on ourselves, warts and all, that we can come to true self-awareness.