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賲丕亍 兀爻賵丿
The Pulitzer Prize-nominated novel from the author of the New York Times bestselling novel We Were the Mulvaneys
Joyce Carol Oates has taken a shocking story that has become an American myth and, from it, has created a novel of electrifying power and illumination. Kelly Kelleher is an idealistic, twenty-six-year-old 鈥済ood girl鈥� when she meets the Senator at a Fourth of July party. In a brilliantly woven narrative, we enter her past and her present, her mind and her body as she is fatally attracted to this older man, this hero, this soon-to-be-lover. Kelly becomes the very embodiment of the vulnerable, romantic dreams of bright and brave women, drawn to the power that certain men command鈥攁t a party that takes on the quality of a surreal nightmare; in a tragic car ride that we hope against hope will not end as we know it must end. One of the acknowledged masters of American fiction, Joyce Carol Oates has written a bold tour de force that parts the black water to reveal the profoundest depths of human truth.
Joyce Carol Oates has taken a shocking story that has become an American myth and, from it, has created a novel of electrifying power and illumination. Kelly Kelleher is an idealistic, twenty-six-year-old 鈥済ood girl鈥� when she meets the Senator at a Fourth of July party. In a brilliantly woven narrative, we enter her past and her present, her mind and her body as she is fatally attracted to this older man, this hero, this soon-to-be-lover. Kelly becomes the very embodiment of the vulnerable, romantic dreams of bright and brave women, drawn to the power that certain men command鈥攁t a party that takes on the quality of a surreal nightmare; in a tragic car ride that we hope against hope will not end as we know it must end. One of the acknowledged masters of American fiction, Joyce Carol Oates has written a bold tour de force that parts the black water to reveal the profoundest depths of human truth.
116 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1992
134 people are currently reading
8787 people want to read
About the author
Joyce Carol Oates
879听books9,057听followersJoyce Carol Oates is an American writer. Oates published her first book in 1963, and has since published 58 novels, a number of plays and novellas, and many volumes of short stories, poetry, and nonfiction. Her novels Black Water (1992), What I Lived For (1994), and Blonde (2000), and her short story collections The Wheel of Love (1970) and Lovely, Dark, Deep: Stories (2014) were each finalists for the Pulitzer Prize. She has won many awards for her writing, including the National Book Award, for her novel Them (1969), two O. Henry Awards, the National Humanities Medal, and the Jerusalem Prize (2019).
Oates taught at Princeton University from 1978 to 2014, and is the Roger S. Berlind '52 Professor Emerita in the Humanities with the Program in Creative Writing. From 2016 to 2020, she was a visiting professor at the University of California, Berkeley, where she taught short fiction in the spring semesters. She now teaches at Rutgers University, New Brunswick.
Oates was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 2016.
Pseudonyms: Rosamond Smith and .
Oates taught at Princeton University from 1978 to 2014, and is the Roger S. Berlind '52 Professor Emerita in the Humanities with the Program in Creative Writing. From 2016 to 2020, she was a visiting professor at the University of California, Berkeley, where she taught short fiction in the spring semesters. She now teaches at Rutgers University, New Brunswick.
Oates was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 2016.
Pseudonyms: Rosamond Smith and .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 998 reviews
November 18, 2020
Impressive, poignant. At the top of her game, THIS is quintessential Joyce Carol Oates!
The entire novel is about one single awful AWFUL moment, where everything that splinters from it & before it takes place. It's as short as her "Blonde" is long: both hit you viscerally hard. Crystallizing that dreadful moment impeccably.
The entire novel is about one single awful AWFUL moment, where everything that splinters from it & before it takes place. It's as short as her "Blonde" is long: both hit you viscerally hard. Crystallizing that dreadful moment impeccably.
August 14, 2020
Black Water, Joyce Carol Oates
Kelly Kelleher is an idealistic, twenty-six-year-old 鈥済ood girl鈥� when she meets the Senator at a Fourth of July party. In a brilliantly woven narrative, we enter her past and her present, her mind and her body as she is fatally attracted to this older man, this hero, this soon-to-be-lover.
Kelly becomes the very embodiment of the vulnerable, romantic dreams of bright and brave women, drawn to the power that certain men command鈥攁t a party that takes on the quality of a surreal nightmare; in a tragic car ride that we hope against hope will not end as we know it must end.
One of the acknowledged masters of American fiction, Joyce Carol Oates has written a bold tour de force that parts the black water to reveal the profoundest depths of human truth.
鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 乇賵夭 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 卮卮賲 賲丕賴 賲蹖 爻丕賱 2017 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
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鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 23/05/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
Kelly Kelleher is an idealistic, twenty-six-year-old 鈥済ood girl鈥� when she meets the Senator at a Fourth of July party. In a brilliantly woven narrative, we enter her past and her present, her mind and her body as she is fatally attracted to this older man, this hero, this soon-to-be-lover.
Kelly becomes the very embodiment of the vulnerable, romantic dreams of bright and brave women, drawn to the power that certain men command鈥攁t a party that takes on the quality of a surreal nightmare; in a tragic car ride that we hope against hope will not end as we know it must end.
One of the acknowledged masters of American fiction, Joyce Carol Oates has written a bold tour de force that parts the black water to reveal the profoundest depths of human truth.
鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 乇賵夭 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 卮卮賲 賲丕賴 賲蹖 爻丕賱 2017 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 爻蹖丕賴丕亘貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 噩賵蹖爻 讴丕乇賵賱 丕賵鬲爻貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲賴丿蹖 睾亘乇丕蹖蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丕賮賯貙 1385貙 丿乇 154 氐貙 卮丕亘讴: 9643692809貨 趩丕倬 丿賵賲 1387貨 趩丕倬 爻賵賲 1389貙 丿乇 157 氐貨 賮乇賵爻鬲: 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 丕賲乇賵夭貙 乇賲丕賳 33貨 賲賵囟賵毓: 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 丕賲乇蹖讴丕蹖蹖 爻丿賴 20 賲
噩賵蹖爻 讴乇賵賱 丕賵鬲爻貨 丿丕爻鬲丕賳蹖 鬲讴丕賳 丿賴賳丿賴 乇丕貙 讴賴 丕爻胤賵乇賴 丕蹖 丌賲乇蹖讴丕蹖蹖 卮丿賴貙 倬蹖卮 乇賵蹖 禺賵蹖卮 賲蹖诏匕丕乇丿貙 賵 丕夭 丌賳 乇賲丕賳蹖 亘賴鬲 丕賳诏蹖夭 丿乇亘丕乇賴 賯丿乇鬲 爻蹖丕爻蹖 賲蹖丌賮乇蹖賳丿.貨
賳賯賱 丕夭 丌睾丕夭 賲鬲賳: 芦亘禺卮 丕賵賱: 1: 鬲賵蹖賵鬲丕蹖 讴乇丕蹖賴 丕蹖 讴賴 爻賳丕鬲賵乇 丌賳賯丿乇 亘蹖丨賵氐賱賴 倬卮鬲 賮乇賲丕賳卮 亘賵丿 丿乇 噩丕丿賴 蹖 禺丕讴蹖 亘蹖賳丕賲 爻乇毓鬲 诏乇賮鬲賴 亘賵丿 賵 爻乇倬蹖趩賴丕 亘丕 賱睾夭卮 賵 賵賽跇賵賽跇 爻乇诏蹖噩賴 丌賵乇蹖 賲蹖倬蹖趩蹖丿 賵 亘毓丿貙 亘蹖 賴蹖趩 毓賱丕賲鬲 丕禺胤丕乇蹖貙 賲毓賱賵賲 賳蹖爻鬲 趩賴 胤賵乇 丕夭 噩丕丿賴 賲賳丨乇賮 卮丿 賵 丿乇 丌亘賽 爻蹖丕賴賽 乇賵丕賳 丕賮鬲丕丿 賵 蹖讴 亘乇 丕夭 爻賲鬲 亘睾賱 丿爻鬲 乇丕賳賳丿賴 亘賴 爻乇毓鬲 賮乇賵 乇賮鬲.貨 丿丕乇賲 賲蹖賲蹖乇賲責 丕蹖賳 噩賵乇蹖責 2 - 睾乇賵亘 趩賴丕乇賲 噩賵賱丕蹖 亘賵丿.貨 噩丕蹖 丿蹖诏乇 丿乇 噩夭蹖乇賴 蹖 诏乇蹖賱蹖賳诏貙 亘賴 賵蹖跇賴 丿乇 讴乇丕賳賴 蹖 卮賲丕賱蹖貙 噩卮賳賴丕蹖蹖 亘乇倬丕 亘賵丿貙 賯胤丕乇賴丕蹖 丕鬲賵賲亘蹖賱 讴賳丕乇 噩丕丿賴 賴丕蹖 亘丕乇蹖讴 卮賳蹖 讴賴 亘賴 讴乇丕賳賴 賲蹖丕賳噩丕賲蹖丿 倬丕乇讴 卮丿賴 亘賵丿賳丿.貨 讴賲蹖 亘毓丿 讴賴 卮亘 賲蹖卮丿貙 丌鬲卮亘丕夭蹖 乇丕賴 賲蹖丕賮鬲丕丿貙 賳賲丕蹖卮 丌鬲卮亘丕夭蹖 亘丕卮讴賵賴 亘丕 乇賳诏賴丕蹖 丿乇禺卮丕賳 鬲賽讴賳蹖 讴丕賱購乇 賲孬賱 噩賳诏 禺賱蹖噩 賮丕乇爻 丿乇 鬲賱賵蹖夭蹖賵賳.貨 丌賳 丿賵 丿乇 賯爻賲鬲 賲鬲乇賵讴 賵 禺丕賱蹖 丕夭 爻讴賳賴 蹖 噩夭蹖乇賴 亘賵丿賳丿 賵 亘賴 丕丨鬲賲丕賱 賯賵蹖 诏賲 卮丿賴 亘賵丿賳丿.貨 丿禺鬲乇 賱亘賴丕蹖卮 乇丕 噩賲毓 賲蹖讴乇丿 賵 賲蹖禺賵丕爻鬲 噩乇卅鬲 讴賳丿 賵 讴賱賲賴 蹖 诏賲 卮丿賴 乇丕 亘诏賵蹖丿.貨 賲丿鬲賴丕 亘賵丿 讴賴 讴蹖賮 丿爻鬲蹖卮 丕夭 賴乇 噩賴鬲 賲噩賴夭 亘賵丿.貨 讴蹖賮 讴賵丿讴丕賳賴 丕卮 賵 丨丕賱丕 讴蹖賮 鬲丕亘爻鬲丕賳蹖 賯卮賳诏 诏賱丿丕乇 賲丕乇讴 賱賵乇丕 丕賻卮賱蹖.貨 讴蹖賮 賯亘賱蹖 賭賭 丌賳 讴蹖賮 丨氐蹖乇蹖 噩賱賮 讴賴 丨丕卮蹖賴 蹖 趩乇賲 賯乇賲夭 丿丕卮鬲 賵 亘爻 讴賴 丕夭 丌賳 丕爻鬲賮丕丿賴 讴乇丿賴 亘賵丿 鬲乇讴 亘乇丿丕卮鬲賴 亘賵丿 賭賭 賴賲 賴賲蹖賳 賵囟毓 乇丕 丿丕卮鬲.貨 噩丕蹖蹖 亘蹖賳 鬲丕賱丕亘賴丕蹖 噩夭蹖乇賴 蹖 诏乇蹖賱蹖賳诏 賲蹖賳 亘賵丿賳丿 讴賴 丕夭 賱賳诏乇诏丕賴 亘賵鬲 亘賽蹖賿 丿乇 卮賲丕賱 睾乇亘蹖 亘丕 賱賳噩 亘蹖爻鬲 丿賯蹖賯賴 乇丕賴 亘賵丿.貨 诏乇賲 诏賮鬲 賵诏賵蹖 丿賵爻鬲丕賳賴 亘賵丿賳丿 賵 賲孬賱 丿賵爻鬲丕賳 賯丿蹖賲貙 賲孬賱 禺賵丿賲丕賳蹖鬲乇蹖賳 丿賵爻鬲丕賳 丿蹖乇蹖賳貙 乇丕丨鬲 亘賴 丨乇賮賴丕蹖 蹖讴丿蹖诏乇 賲蹖禺賳丿蹖丿賳丿 賵 讴賱蹖 亘丕 丕丨鬲蹖丕胤 賲蹖讴賵卮蹖丿 丿爻鬲賴丕蹖 爻賳丕鬲賵乇 乇丕 乇丕爻鬲 賳诏賴 丿丕乇丿 鬲丕 亘丕賯蹖賲丕賳丿賴 蹖 賵丿讴丕 賵 爻賵丿丕 讴賴 賴賳诏丕賲 乇丕賳賳丿诏蹖 丿乇 丿爻鬲 丿丕卮鬲 丕夭 賱蹖賵丕賳 倬賱丕爻鬲蹖讴蹖 賳乇蹖夭丿 賵 亘毓丿 賳丕诏賴丕賳貙 賲孬賱 賮蹖賱賲蹖 讴賴 诏蹖乇 讴賳丿 賵 鬲氐賵蹖乇卮 亘倬乇丿貙 趩賳丕賳 賳丕诏賴丕賳蹖 讴賴 賴乇诏夭 賳禺賵丕賴丿 賮賴賲蹖丿 趩賴 賯丿乇貙 噩丕丿賴 丕夭 夭蹖乇 丕鬲賵賲亘蹖賱賽 丿乇 丨丕賱 爻乇毓鬲 噩丕禺丕賱蹖 丿丕丿 賵 丌賳 丿賵 丿丕卮鬲賳丿 丿乇 丌亘賽 爻蹖丕賴 賮乇賵 賲蹖乇賮鬲賳丿 賵 亘乇丕蹖 噩丕賳 亘賴 丿乇 亘乇丿賳 丿爻鬲 賵 倬丕 賲蹖夭丿賳丿 賵 丌亘 亘賴 卮蹖卮賴 蹖 噩賱賵 賲蹖倬丕卮蹖丿 賵 乇丕賴賽 賵乇賵丿 賲蹖噩爻鬲貙 丕賳诏丕乇 讴賴 乇賵蹖丕賵丕乇 鬲丕賱丕亘 丕夭 賴賲賴 爻賵 噩丕賳 诏乇賮鬲賴 賵 丿爻鬲 丿乇丕夭 讴乇丿賴 亘賵丿 鬲丕 丌賳賴丕 乇丕 亘亘賱毓丿.貨 丿丕乇賲 賲蹖賲蹖乇賲責 丕蹖賳 噩賵乇蹖責 3 - 亘丕賮蹖 乇賳噩蹖丿賴 亘賵丿貙 蹖丕 馗丕賴乇丕 丕蹖賳胤賵乇 亘賵丿貨 亘蹖卮鬲乇 讴丕乇賴丕蹖卮 賳賲丕蹖卮蹖 亘賵丿 賵 賴乇诏夭 丿乇爻鬲卮 乇丕 賳賲蹖賮賴賲蹖丿蹖.貨 丿丕卮鬲 亘賴 讴賱蹖 讴賱蹖賴乇 賲蹖诏賮鬲貙 丌乇賴 賵賱蹖 趩乇丕 丨丕賱丕 賲蹖乇賵蹖貙 賳賲蹖卮賵丿 讴賲蹖 丿蹖乇鬲乇 亘乇賵蹖責 賭賭 賵 讴賱蹖 讴賱蹖賴乇 趩蹖夭 賲亘賴賲蹖 鬲鬲賴 倬鬲賴 讴乇丿 賵 賳鬲賵丕賳爻鬲 亘诏賵蹖丿 趩賵賳 賲乇丕 賲蹖禺賵丕賴丿: 丕氐乇丕乇 賲蹖讴賳丿.貨 賳鬲賵丕賳爻鬲 亘诏賵蹖丿 趩賵賳 丕诏乇 讴丕乇蹖 乇丕 讴賴 禺賵丕爻鬲賴 賳讴賳賲 丿蹖诏乇 丿蹖乇鬲乇蹖 丿乇 亘蹖賳 賳禺賵丕賴丿 亘賵丿.貨 鬲賵 讴賴 賲蹖丿丕賳蹖.禄貨 倬丕蹖丕賳 賳賯賱
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 23/05/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
January 6, 2017
I only set myself a few reading goals this year and one is to read the books I actually own. This is the second of those. I've read this author off and on, she is so prolific I will probably never read all of her works. This was a quick read, a thinly veiled take on the Kennedy, Kopeckni tragedy. It was just okay for me, a stream of consciousness style with much repetition. Still I love how this writer always tackles new things, her books are never the same, at least those I have read.
March 1, 2012
The firs time I heard about the so-called Chappaquiddick incident was in college. It was right after Ted Kennedy died, and we were talking about it in one of my classes, and we got around to the various Kennedy scandals, and then my professor remarked, "you know, everyone on the news keeps talking about all the good things that Ted Kennedy did during his life - no one's mentioned how he was responsible for a woman's death."
Here are the facts: on the night of July 18th 1969, Ted Kennedy left a party held on Chappaquiddick, an island near Martha's Vineyard. In the car with him was Mary Jo Kopechne, a young woman who had worked on Robert Kennedy's campaign. On their way to the ferry, Ted Kennedy accidentally drove the car off the road and into Poucha Pond. The car landed upside down underwater, and although Kennedy was able to escape the car, Kopechne was not. Kennedy claimed he tried to swim to the car several times to help her, but was unable to reach her. After that, he walked away from the accident site, and the car was discovered the next morning by fishermen who then called the police.
Here are the creepy facts and suspicious circumstances: After trying unsuccessfully to reach the car, Ted Kennedy went back to the party, got several of his friends, and they returned to the site and tried to reach the car. When this didn't work, Kennedy took the ferry to his hotel and went to sleep. At no point during these events did he ever contact the police to tell them what had happened. When Kopechne's body was finally retrieved from the car, she was found in the backseat, hanging onto the seat with her face tilted upwards - suggesting that there was a pocket of air inside the car after the crash. According to John Farrar, the diver who retrieved her body: "It looked as if she were holding herself up to get a last breath of air. It was a consciously assumed position. ... She didn't drown. She died of suffocation in her own air void. It took her at least three or four hours to die."
I had no idea that this happened, much less that this woman was trapped in a car underwater for at least two hours.. "Nightmare" doesn't begin to describe it.
You can see how it would make a good subject for a novella: what was going through this woman's head as she was trapped in the car, dying slowly, hoping to be rescued? And what better person to tackle this sensitive and terrifying subject than Joyce "Men Are Bad and Will Hurt You" Carol Oates?
If you've read , you have a good idea of how this story is going to go. Oates goes for the obvious and most sinister explanations possible: of course her Kopechne stand-in, Kelly, is a wide-eye and naive idealist with a hefty dose of daddy issues and little romantic experience. Of course her sex life gets described like this:
"She'd cried out, short high-pitched gasping cries, she'd sobbed, she'd heard her voice distant, wild, pleading reverberating out of the corners of the darkened room, Oh I love you, I love you, I love love love you, their bodies slapping and sucking hot-clammy with sweat, hair plastered to their heads with sweat, you know you're somebody's little girl don't you? don't you?"
and this:
"...since girlhood, kissing and being kissed, Kelly Kelleher had always felt, not her own, but the other's, the male's, desire. Quick and galvanizing as an electric shock.
Feeling too, once she caught her breath, that familiar wave of anxiety, guilt - I've made you want me, now I can't refuse you."
Joyce Carol Oates, you are exhausting.
And of course Ted Kennedy (aka "the Senator") is an aging, predatory creep who takes full advantage of Kelly's daddy issues. Of course he's not only drunk when he drives Kelly to the ferry, but is actually drinking a cocktail as he crashed the car. And of course he not only leaves Kelly behind in the car, but actually kicks her away in his haste to escape.
Oates has this gift for inspiring outrage on behalf of the supposed villain of her historical retellings. In my review of Blonde I was furious at her one-sided portrayal of Tony Curtis, who was by all accounts a total douchebag, but something about Oates's version of him seemed so deliberately evil, so patently unfair. Black Water was like that. Could we have a little ambiguity, please? Some sliver of goodness in the Senator, something about Kelly to suggest that she's more than just some wide-eyed innocent trapped in the older man's web? No, we can't - the Senator is a bad, bad man and Kelly was a good, good girl and that is that, thank you.
In fact, as I read, I started to be more interested in the Senator's side of the story. There are so many more questions there: when he tried to swim down to the car, did he think Kelly was alive? How, when he was walking back to the party, did he not see any lights from nearby houses and try to call for help there? Why did he call his friend first and not the police? Why didn't he call the police at all? What was going through his mind after he had escaped the car?
I wanted to read that story, I realized. Kelly's story was terrifying and sad, of course, but the Senator's was where the real mystery was. All Kelly did was drown (WELL that's the most horrible sentence I've ever typed in my life). Alternating viewpoints - going back and forth between Kelly and the Senator before, during, and after the accident - would have been much more interesting, and would have meant a fuller experience (and a longer book)
Ultimately, this story succeeded because it made me really want to read more about the actual Chappaquiddick incident, but not because I appreciated Oates's take on the event. By now, I've learned that when it comes to retelling historical events, she can be extremely one-sided and sensationalist.
Here are the facts: on the night of July 18th 1969, Ted Kennedy left a party held on Chappaquiddick, an island near Martha's Vineyard. In the car with him was Mary Jo Kopechne, a young woman who had worked on Robert Kennedy's campaign. On their way to the ferry, Ted Kennedy accidentally drove the car off the road and into Poucha Pond. The car landed upside down underwater, and although Kennedy was able to escape the car, Kopechne was not. Kennedy claimed he tried to swim to the car several times to help her, but was unable to reach her. After that, he walked away from the accident site, and the car was discovered the next morning by fishermen who then called the police.
Here are the creepy facts and suspicious circumstances: After trying unsuccessfully to reach the car, Ted Kennedy went back to the party, got several of his friends, and they returned to the site and tried to reach the car. When this didn't work, Kennedy took the ferry to his hotel and went to sleep. At no point during these events did he ever contact the police to tell them what had happened. When Kopechne's body was finally retrieved from the car, she was found in the backseat, hanging onto the seat with her face tilted upwards - suggesting that there was a pocket of air inside the car after the crash. According to John Farrar, the diver who retrieved her body: "It looked as if she were holding herself up to get a last breath of air. It was a consciously assumed position. ... She didn't drown. She died of suffocation in her own air void. It took her at least three or four hours to die."
I had no idea that this happened, much less that this woman was trapped in a car underwater for at least two hours.. "Nightmare" doesn't begin to describe it.
You can see how it would make a good subject for a novella: what was going through this woman's head as she was trapped in the car, dying slowly, hoping to be rescued? And what better person to tackle this sensitive and terrifying subject than Joyce "Men Are Bad and Will Hurt You" Carol Oates?
If you've read , you have a good idea of how this story is going to go. Oates goes for the obvious and most sinister explanations possible: of course her Kopechne stand-in, Kelly, is a wide-eye and naive idealist with a hefty dose of daddy issues and little romantic experience. Of course her sex life gets described like this:
"She'd cried out, short high-pitched gasping cries, she'd sobbed, she'd heard her voice distant, wild, pleading reverberating out of the corners of the darkened room, Oh I love you, I love you, I love love love you, their bodies slapping and sucking hot-clammy with sweat, hair plastered to their heads with sweat, you know you're somebody's little girl don't you? don't you?"
and this:
"...since girlhood, kissing and being kissed, Kelly Kelleher had always felt, not her own, but the other's, the male's, desire. Quick and galvanizing as an electric shock.
Feeling too, once she caught her breath, that familiar wave of anxiety, guilt - I've made you want me, now I can't refuse you."
Joyce Carol Oates, you are exhausting.
And of course Ted Kennedy (aka "the Senator") is an aging, predatory creep who takes full advantage of Kelly's daddy issues. Of course he's not only drunk when he drives Kelly to the ferry, but is actually drinking a cocktail as he crashed the car. And of course he not only leaves Kelly behind in the car, but actually kicks her away in his haste to escape.
Oates has this gift for inspiring outrage on behalf of the supposed villain of her historical retellings. In my review of Blonde I was furious at her one-sided portrayal of Tony Curtis, who was by all accounts a total douchebag, but something about Oates's version of him seemed so deliberately evil, so patently unfair. Black Water was like that. Could we have a little ambiguity, please? Some sliver of goodness in the Senator, something about Kelly to suggest that she's more than just some wide-eyed innocent trapped in the older man's web? No, we can't - the Senator is a bad, bad man and Kelly was a good, good girl and that is that, thank you.
In fact, as I read, I started to be more interested in the Senator's side of the story. There are so many more questions there: when he tried to swim down to the car, did he think Kelly was alive? How, when he was walking back to the party, did he not see any lights from nearby houses and try to call for help there? Why did he call his friend first and not the police? Why didn't he call the police at all? What was going through his mind after he had escaped the car?
I wanted to read that story, I realized. Kelly's story was terrifying and sad, of course, but the Senator's was where the real mystery was. All Kelly did was drown (WELL that's the most horrible sentence I've ever typed in my life). Alternating viewpoints - going back and forth between Kelly and the Senator before, during, and after the accident - would have been much more interesting, and would have meant a fuller experience (and a longer book)
Ultimately, this story succeeded because it made me really want to read more about the actual Chappaquiddick incident, but not because I appreciated Oates's take on the event. By now, I've learned that when it comes to retelling historical events, she can be extremely one-sided and sensationalist.
February 10, 2020
Compelling and desperately sad, I read this in one sitting, and am now left feeling suffocated and horrified. It's an oppressive and repetitive book, which I think will stay with me for a long while.
February 20, 2017
Cautious interwinement of different time modes and perspectives held a lot of promise. Parts of the plot were carefully strung into a captivating, fight-for-breath whole. Along with the lack of misplaced words and clutter, it was what made the flow neat and tidy, but also what opened the possibility of its pitfall. By definition, stringing pieces in a sequence involves staying within the narrow line and connecting similar components. The same happened to the story - the auspicious start did not progress and evolve, but only invoked a complementary platitude.
The purpose of books based on true stories, is to give us a possible narrative behind the bare facts. Instead of plausible interpretation and deeper understanding this one delivers only more cliches and pompousness. It felt as if the author had mistaken an image of an all American gal, with unresolved daddy issues and girl-power ambitions, for a person. The protagonist and her relations had no uniqueness that would make them convincing, but remained the manufactured products waving from the billboard, that one sometimes wants to get to know, but never can. Yellow pages of an artsy journal would have as much effect. Life can be but a series of coincidences and its end a peak of absurdity, but at least it has some moments of significance, which is a fact this book desperately tries to avoid.
The purpose of books based on true stories, is to give us a possible narrative behind the bare facts. Instead of plausible interpretation and deeper understanding this one delivers only more cliches and pompousness. It felt as if the author had mistaken an image of an all American gal, with unresolved daddy issues and girl-power ambitions, for a person. The protagonist and her relations had no uniqueness that would make them convincing, but remained the manufactured products waving from the billboard, that one sometimes wants to get to know, but never can. Yellow pages of an artsy journal would have as much effect. Life can be but a series of coincidences and its end a peak of absurdity, but at least it has some moments of significance, which is a fact this book desperately tries to avoid.
August 6, 2020
Fare una matassa
Non so se partire dall鈥檃uto colata a picco dopo una curva e dipanare la vicenda dei due occupanti a ritroso sia stata la tecnica giusta. Sono venuti a mancare ritmo e pathos sostituiti da una serie di avvolgimenti. Se l鈥檌ncidente 猫 gi脿 avvenuto non rimane che parlare di ci貌 che 猫 successo prima di esso. J.C. Oates ha tentato per tutta la narrazione di comporre correttamente una matassa. Ha preso un cavo (ho in mente quello elettrico diametro 1,5) ce ne ha mostrate le estremit脿 e poi ha iniziato ad avvolgerlo. Durante l鈥檕perazione si 猫 accorta che la matassa non era abbastanza stretta, allora ha dato l鈥檌mpressione di ripartire da capo, ha fatto ci貌 pi霉 volte finch茅 il libro non 猫 finito come era cominciato, con il capocorda fra il pollice e l鈥檌ndice dell鈥檃utrice.
Kelly Kelleher 猫 una giovane laureata che ad una festa privata viene sedotta da un senatore democratico in odor di futura nomination per le presidenziali USA. Del senatore non viene mai fatto il nome, 猫 grazie alla quarta di copertina che ho scoperto quanto segue:
La Oates 猫 una delle autrici pi霉 prolifiche della storia. Inserisco questo libro nella colonna PERDIBILI della sua bibliografia, mettendo un post-it colorato per la citazione di Charles de Gaulle: Poich茅 un uomo politico non crede mai a ci貌 che dice, 猫 sorpreso quando gli altri gli credono.
Colonna sonora:
芦Una vecchia canzone dei Beatles... "All the Lonely People".禄
Non so se partire dall鈥檃uto colata a picco dopo una curva e dipanare la vicenda dei due occupanti a ritroso sia stata la tecnica giusta. Sono venuti a mancare ritmo e pathos sostituiti da una serie di avvolgimenti. Se l鈥檌ncidente 猫 gi脿 avvenuto non rimane che parlare di ci貌 che 猫 successo prima di esso. J.C. Oates ha tentato per tutta la narrazione di comporre correttamente una matassa. Ha preso un cavo (ho in mente quello elettrico diametro 1,5) ce ne ha mostrate le estremit脿 e poi ha iniziato ad avvolgerlo. Durante l鈥檕perazione si 猫 accorta che la matassa non era abbastanza stretta, allora ha dato l鈥檌mpressione di ripartire da capo, ha fatto ci貌 pi霉 volte finch茅 il libro non 猫 finito come era cominciato, con il capocorda fra il pollice e l鈥檌ndice dell鈥檃utrice.
Kelly Kelleher 猫 una giovane laureata che ad una festa privata viene sedotta da un senatore democratico in odor di futura nomination per le presidenziali USA. Del senatore non viene mai fatto il nome, 猫 grazie alla quarta di copertina che ho scoperto quanto segue:
La Oates 猫 una delle autrici pi霉 prolifiche della storia. Inserisco questo libro nella colonna PERDIBILI della sua bibliografia, mettendo un post-it colorato per la citazione di Charles de Gaulle: Poich茅 un uomo politico non crede mai a ci貌 che dice, 猫 sorpreso quando gli altri gli credono.
Colonna sonora:
芦Una vecchia canzone dei Beatles... "All the Lonely People".禄
September 14, 2016
Oates inexplicably squanders her gifts in this dreamlike, stream-of-conscious exploration of a young woman鈥檚 state of mind, her attraction to a powerful older man, and her eventual doom. The writing is poetic, evocative, and certainly challenging 鈥� which is to be expected from a novelist of Oates鈥� caliber. Unfortunately, despite the attempt to give the characters an almost mythic stature, the ideas on display are rather pedestrian 鈥� and are certainly not helped by the very basic, near-formulaic rendering of a Na茂ve Idealistic Young Woman and All-Too-Fallible Father Figure.
November 17, 2018
A brilliant little book.
November 11, 2012
Although the was before my time, Kennedy hagiography wasn't. Still isn't. That myth of Camelot stuff. I hate it. If I'd moved up to Massachusetts any earlier than I did, Ted Kennedy would have been my senator. Although I am a Democrat and agreed with a lot of the work he did, I don't know that I could have voted for him. I reflexively vote against all Kennedys, always. Because of stuff like Chappaquiddick and its aftermath.
It's a case where there was probably never going to be justice and where I don't know what justice might have looked like. The closest we're probably going to get is this book, which is fiction, and which echoes the central events. But only echoes - it's set in a different time, with different people.
I have mixed feelings about Joyce Carol Oates. I like the stories she chooses to tell, and I like her dreamlike attacks on and explorations of the ways we socialize or suppress female sexuality. At the same time, I find her prose prosaic (more so when she's trying for poetry) and think that her universal archetypes (if we can call them that) flatten and limit my experience of my own humanity. That's not me in there.
Do I like the recasting of the Chappaquiddick story as an allegory for the power imbalances between older men in power and younger women out of power, the ways in which the women are doomed sacrifices? Do I feel more powerless after reading the book, as though Oates is complicit in taking away the agency of a woman who in real life was clearly motivated? I don't know. I do think the book is worth reading and talking about.
One thing I can say is it made me more aware of the way we tell crime stories and scandal stories through the eyes of the aggressor. Yes, the victim isn't there to tell their side, but the perp usually isn't telling either. I've thought before about whether we're re-victimizing the victims by treating them as objects (sometimes of veneration, sometimes not) to protect ourselves from existential angst (who wants to self-identify as dead?) but this book brought home the emotional truth of it - along with the possibility that as they're fighting for life, some of them are already starting to absorb a sense of themselves as inherently passive (yet still culpable).
It's a case where there was probably never going to be justice and where I don't know what justice might have looked like. The closest we're probably going to get is this book, which is fiction, and which echoes the central events. But only echoes - it's set in a different time, with different people.
I have mixed feelings about Joyce Carol Oates. I like the stories she chooses to tell, and I like her dreamlike attacks on and explorations of the ways we socialize or suppress female sexuality. At the same time, I find her prose prosaic (more so when she's trying for poetry) and think that her universal archetypes (if we can call them that) flatten and limit my experience of my own humanity. That's not me in there.
Do I like the recasting of the Chappaquiddick story as an allegory for the power imbalances between older men in power and younger women out of power, the ways in which the women are doomed sacrifices? Do I feel more powerless after reading the book, as though Oates is complicit in taking away the agency of a woman who in real life was clearly motivated? I don't know. I do think the book is worth reading and talking about.
One thing I can say is it made me more aware of the way we tell crime stories and scandal stories through the eyes of the aggressor. Yes, the victim isn't there to tell their side, but the perp usually isn't telling either. I've thought before about whether we're re-victimizing the victims by treating them as objects (sometimes of veneration, sometimes not) to protect ourselves from existential angst (who wants to self-identify as dead?) but this book brought home the emotional truth of it - along with the possibility that as they're fighting for life, some of them are already starting to absorb a sense of themselves as inherently passive (yet still culpable).
June 11, 2016
Haunting rendition of a young woman's last terrifying moments. Oates comes at those moments from a variety of angles, and somehow it's enough to create an entire novella out of it in a way that seems natural.
Black Water is a bit like water (how apropos) circling around a drain, getting faster and faster as it nears the inevitable end.
Black Water is a bit like water (how apropos) circling around a drain, getting faster and faster as it nears the inevitable end.
April 27, 2015
L鈥檈pisodio che ha ispirato il breve romanzo della Oates 猫 quello del vergognoso incidente di Chappaquiddick avvenuto nel 1969, che segn貌 la fine della carriera politica del senatore Ted Kennedy.
E鈥� il 4 luglio, siamo agli inizi del 1990, nel Maine, a Grayling Island. Una Toyota nera, guidata dal Senatore, un uomo di mezza et脿, donnaiolo e bevitore, che guida con in mano il drink per il viaggio, trasporta lui e la sua nuova amica Kelly, conosciuta ad una festa lo stesso giorno in casa di conoscenze comuni, verso un traghetto diretto sulla terraferma, ad una stanza d鈥檃lbergo. La velocit脿 eccessiva, la strada sterrata, il buio della notte, la guida spericolata, tutto insomma concorre al verificarsi dell鈥檌ncidente: l鈥檃uto esce di strada e precipita nell鈥檃cqua nera del fiume Indian Creek. Da questo momento prende il via l鈥檃ngoscioso e angosciante flusso di pensieri di Kelly, frammentato in una continua serie di ricordi, di impressioni, di flashback in cui, sul punto di morte, l鈥檌ntera sua esistenza di brava ragazza americana le scorre nella mente, come tanti tasselli di un puzzle. Anche la scrittura della Oates si adegua alla situazione ed 猫 frammentaria, con lunghi periodi senza punteggiatura che si alternano con altri spesso oscuri, che uniscono episodi diversi della vita della ragazza, dall鈥檌nfanzia al momento attuale, in un mescolamento che esprime in pieno la confusione e la concitazione dei pensieri di chi sta morendo.
Una giovane americana di ottima famiglia, figlia di un avvocato di Boston, educata secondo severi principi puritani, conosce un uomo di potere, uno dei suoi 鈥渕iti鈥�, sul quale all鈥檜niversit脿 scrisse anche una tesina, un 鈥渁nimale politico鈥� avvezzo ad ogni genere di intrighi e di tresche, e in un pomeriggio decide di andarsene con lui dalla festa e di passarci almeno la notte. Il senso di colpa, derivazione della sua rigida educazione, la divora: 鈥渉o fatto in modo che tu mi desiderassi e ora non posso dirti di no鈥�.
All鈥檃nalisi del rapporto tra gli uomini di potere e le giovani donne che incontrano sul loro cammino (argomento attualmente all鈥檕rdine del giorno in Italia, seppur nel suo aspetto pi霉 turpe e indegno鈥損erch茅 non 猫 un romanzo ma 猫 purtroppo la realt脿 quella che viviamo-), si affiancano temi di critica sociale e politica, quali la critica alla pena di morte, 鈥渦n omicidio premeditato inflitto arbitrariamente dallo stato鈥�, e la critica alla politica del presidente Bush senior che ha portato alla guerra del golfo.
In complesso la lettura mi ha coinvolto, anche se all鈥檌nizio ho avuto difficolt脿 ad abituarmi alla particolarit脿 della scrittura; poi sono stata anch鈥檌o trascinata nell鈥檃cqua nera accanto a Kelly.
E鈥� il 4 luglio, siamo agli inizi del 1990, nel Maine, a Grayling Island. Una Toyota nera, guidata dal Senatore, un uomo di mezza et脿, donnaiolo e bevitore, che guida con in mano il drink per il viaggio, trasporta lui e la sua nuova amica Kelly, conosciuta ad una festa lo stesso giorno in casa di conoscenze comuni, verso un traghetto diretto sulla terraferma, ad una stanza d鈥檃lbergo. La velocit脿 eccessiva, la strada sterrata, il buio della notte, la guida spericolata, tutto insomma concorre al verificarsi dell鈥檌ncidente: l鈥檃uto esce di strada e precipita nell鈥檃cqua nera del fiume Indian Creek. Da questo momento prende il via l鈥檃ngoscioso e angosciante flusso di pensieri di Kelly, frammentato in una continua serie di ricordi, di impressioni, di flashback in cui, sul punto di morte, l鈥檌ntera sua esistenza di brava ragazza americana le scorre nella mente, come tanti tasselli di un puzzle. Anche la scrittura della Oates si adegua alla situazione ed 猫 frammentaria, con lunghi periodi senza punteggiatura che si alternano con altri spesso oscuri, che uniscono episodi diversi della vita della ragazza, dall鈥檌nfanzia al momento attuale, in un mescolamento che esprime in pieno la confusione e la concitazione dei pensieri di chi sta morendo.
Una giovane americana di ottima famiglia, figlia di un avvocato di Boston, educata secondo severi principi puritani, conosce un uomo di potere, uno dei suoi 鈥渕iti鈥�, sul quale all鈥檜niversit脿 scrisse anche una tesina, un 鈥渁nimale politico鈥� avvezzo ad ogni genere di intrighi e di tresche, e in un pomeriggio decide di andarsene con lui dalla festa e di passarci almeno la notte. Il senso di colpa, derivazione della sua rigida educazione, la divora: 鈥渉o fatto in modo che tu mi desiderassi e ora non posso dirti di no鈥�.
All鈥檃nalisi del rapporto tra gli uomini di potere e le giovani donne che incontrano sul loro cammino (argomento attualmente all鈥檕rdine del giorno in Italia, seppur nel suo aspetto pi霉 turpe e indegno鈥損erch茅 non 猫 un romanzo ma 猫 purtroppo la realt脿 quella che viviamo-), si affiancano temi di critica sociale e politica, quali la critica alla pena di morte, 鈥渦n omicidio premeditato inflitto arbitrariamente dallo stato鈥�, e la critica alla politica del presidente Bush senior che ha portato alla guerra del golfo.
In complesso la lettura mi ha coinvolto, anche se all鈥檌nizio ho avuto difficolt脿 ad abituarmi alla particolarit脿 della scrittura; poi sono stata anch鈥檌o trascinata nell鈥檃cqua nera accanto a Kelly.
February 8, 2008
I appreciate the concept/conceit of this novel: giving a voice to the woman who died in the notorious Chappaquidick accident which briefly engulfed Ted Kennedy's life in scandal. A scandal, which largely sensationalized the life of Mary Jo Kopechne, who died in a car accident whose circumstances are reasonably suspect. But Oates' novel (or what I can recall, having read it in high school), seems less intent on realizing Kopechne's life as it is intent on villainizing Ted Kennedy or rather the archetype of powerful men taking advantage of impressionable young women. I have no problem with Oates attempting to take on the latter archetype (or even Kennedy for that matter) except that she does it in the kind of one-sided screed that diminishes the agency and individualism of the Kopechne-analogue.
In speaking about her story, Where are you going? Where have you been? which was turned into a film, Oates remarked on the difficulty of adapting a story for the screen saying that a writer only works in a, "single dimension." (That story, Where are you going... is also the story of a young woman taken in by a charismatic older man, with a similar fatalistic trajectory involving a fateful drive and is also based on true events.)
My problem with Oates largely lies in her work existing in a "single dimension," (as well as the fact that great art transcends its medium) and that her characters are often types (helpless and tragic girls vs. knowing and powerful men) that are never transcend their types and never live off the page. She is understandably upset about this recurring pattern of misogyny but never gives us anything but the Chick-tract version of events and exists solely in Oates singular dimensions. Giving a voice to the voiceless is only powerful when that perspective gives us more insight, instead Oates confirms only victim-hood and powerlessness.
In speaking about her story, Where are you going? Where have you been? which was turned into a film, Oates remarked on the difficulty of adapting a story for the screen saying that a writer only works in a, "single dimension." (That story, Where are you going... is also the story of a young woman taken in by a charismatic older man, with a similar fatalistic trajectory involving a fateful drive and is also based on true events.)
My problem with Oates largely lies in her work existing in a "single dimension," (as well as the fact that great art transcends its medium) and that her characters are often types (helpless and tragic girls vs. knowing and powerful men) that are never transcend their types and never live off the page. She is understandably upset about this recurring pattern of misogyny but never gives us anything but the Chick-tract version of events and exists solely in Oates singular dimensions. Giving a voice to the voiceless is only powerful when that perspective gives us more insight, instead Oates confirms only victim-hood and powerlessness.
July 8, 2020
Era il 4 luglio 1969.
Il giorno dell'indipendenza. Una festa che sebbene avesse quasi perso di significato, continuava ad essere celebrata da tutti gli americani.
I fuochi d'artificio. Le parole roboanti dei senatori, quelle di circostanza, dette per aumentare i consensi. Le parole di un senatore, in particolare. Un uomo di 55 anni che aveva fame di vita e che la succhiava da chi di anni ne aveva trenta in meno: Elizabeth Kelleher, detta Kelly, profonda ammiratrice del Senatore. Era cos矛 giovane, Kelly, cos矛 ambiziosa. Sarebbe potuta essere la figlia del Senatore.
Quella sera del 4 luglio, erano in macchina insieme. Lui al volante, con quel Rolex all'ultimo grido. Lui cos矛 spavaldo, cos矛 sicuro di s茅, tanto da non lasciare spazio all'eventualit脿 che avessero sbagliato strada. E poi la Toyota perde aderenza. E come un tuffatore finisce in acqua. Ma il Senatore 猫 forte, 猫 un uomo, riesce a liberarsi. Kelly resta, l矛, intrappolata nel veicolo, a cercare disperatamente di incamerare quelle bolle d'aria che le permettessero di respirare.
E poi fu solo acqua.
Acqua nera.
Cala il sipario.
La fenice non risorger脿 dalle sue ceneri.
Una mia registrazione di un paragrafo
Questo romanzo si rif脿 a una storia di cronaca nera: il Senatore 猫 Ted Kennedy. L'incidente narrato 猫
Il giorno dell'indipendenza. Una festa che sebbene avesse quasi perso di significato, continuava ad essere celebrata da tutti gli americani.
I fuochi d'artificio. Le parole roboanti dei senatori, quelle di circostanza, dette per aumentare i consensi. Le parole di un senatore, in particolare. Un uomo di 55 anni che aveva fame di vita e che la succhiava da chi di anni ne aveva trenta in meno: Elizabeth Kelleher, detta Kelly, profonda ammiratrice del Senatore. Era cos矛 giovane, Kelly, cos矛 ambiziosa. Sarebbe potuta essere la figlia del Senatore.
Quella sera del 4 luglio, erano in macchina insieme. Lui al volante, con quel Rolex all'ultimo grido. Lui cos矛 spavaldo, cos矛 sicuro di s茅, tanto da non lasciare spazio all'eventualit脿 che avessero sbagliato strada. E poi la Toyota perde aderenza. E come un tuffatore finisce in acqua. Ma il Senatore 猫 forte, 猫 un uomo, riesce a liberarsi. Kelly resta, l矛, intrappolata nel veicolo, a cercare disperatamente di incamerare quelle bolle d'aria che le permettessero di respirare.
E poi fu solo acqua.
Acqua nera.
Cala il sipario.
La fenice non risorger脿 dalle sue ceneri.
Una mia registrazione di un paragrafo
Questo romanzo si rif脿 a una storia di cronaca nera: il Senatore 猫 Ted Kennedy. L'incidente narrato 猫
March 2, 2010
A very long time ago in a distant land known as the 90's, I was working with a woman who also liked to read during her lunch. She asked me if I had any interest in going with her to hear an author she liked go speak. I had never heard of this Joyce Carol Oats woman. (Seriously.) So we went to this huge church in St. Paul and the place was packed. I was surprised - This many people for some author? Hu. Cool. (I know - I was young and pretty darn clueless.)
We were all just sitting there and then all of a sudden you could feel a current in the room. I look over and this tiny woman (who looked like someone's executive assistant) walked in and took the podium. She read. It was really great.
A few days after the reading my co-worker brought in this book with a thank you for going with her to the reading. I read the book and I have to say it still haunts me. I knew nothing of the Kennedy scandal when I read this - and I was horrified. I still think about this book.
We were all just sitting there and then all of a sudden you could feel a current in the room. I look over and this tiny woman (who looked like someone's executive assistant) walked in and took the podium. She read. It was really great.
A few days after the reading my co-worker brought in this book with a thank you for going with her to the reading. I read the book and I have to say it still haunts me. I knew nothing of the Kennedy scandal when I read this - and I was horrified. I still think about this book.
October 6, 2018
Pi霉 che due stelle gli darei due palle. L鈥檜nica cosa che mi ha stupito 猫 di quanto riuscito a gonfiarmele in cos矛 poche pagine. E trattando una storia che si prestava cos矛 bene a scriverci sopra un bel romanzo.
Va bene tutto (l鈥檌ndignazione morale, il bisogno di lanciare qualcosa: un grido di dolore, un messaggio etico, una rivendicazione di giustizia, una denuncia militante), ma una cosa meno banale e meno irritante proprio non si poteva fare?
Volevo conoscere la Oates. Spero di aver sbagliato la porta di ingresso. Adesso, prima di riprovarci, me lo devo scordare per貌 questo incidente (e non parlo di Chappaquiddick).
Va bene tutto (l鈥檌ndignazione morale, il bisogno di lanciare qualcosa: un grido di dolore, un messaggio etico, una rivendicazione di giustizia, una denuncia militante), ma una cosa meno banale e meno irritante proprio non si poteva fare?
Volevo conoscere la Oates. Spero di aver sbagliato la porta di ingresso. Adesso, prima di riprovarci, me lo devo scordare per貌 questo incidente (e non parlo di Chappaquiddick).
February 8, 2017
Black Water is Joyce Carol Oates' version of the Chappaquiddick incident - taking place much later in time, and with an older version of Kennedy. I wanted to love this, but I really, really didn't.
JCO uses a blunt, visceral style, heavy in repetition, and repeatedly culminating with Kopechne's stand-in, Kelly Kelleher's, thoughts during the crash and as she's accepting her fate.
I couldn't stand the way JCO wrote Kelleher, and it turns out I just had to turn to the Amazon description of her to nail it: "Kelly becomes the very embodiment of the vulnerable, romantic dreams of bright and brave women, drawn to the power that certain men command."
I hate, hate, hate this approach to this character. Kelleher is supposed to be a 26-year-old political journalist who then ends up fawning over "The Senator" (never given a name) for the fact that he's even talking to her. Someone at that age, and at that point in their career, would be well-versed in men with power and know how to talk to them without going weak at the knees. When you're a journalist, you learn at a very young age that men will try to wield their power to get you into bed. Hell, when you're a woman in any career path, you probably learn this. I had men fawning over me when I was a teenage music journalist! So I just don't buy a journalist in their mid-20s as naive and totally clueless, but Black Water is written in rose-colored glasses. She's written as too naive, and overly vulnerable and romantic for someone who's a 26-year-old political journalist who likely just wants to go get her fuck on. And if you want to shift the conversation to the real life incident, I don't think Mary Jo Kopechne was this much of a naive twit, either - she was a political influencer! She had been in politics for six years when this happened - I don't think she was as naive and romantic as this character that's supposed to be based on her.
Maybe I'm just a cynical old broad now, but I would've bought into this if the approach to Kelleher had been less about her being some sort of idealistic "good girl." I don't think that's a flattering or realistic portrait of modern women at that age. Not all women have to feel romantically about a man to want to go to bed with him. Maybe she just wanted to get laid! That would've been fine! I would've much preferred a book that didn't have such a one-sided goody-two-shoes kind of character. It would've made more sense if Kelleher had gone home with him because she wanted to try to scoop a story on him, or if it was simply that she liked sex and saw an opportunity to get laid. Instead, we get her impressions of the Senator contrasted with an old boyfriend. Homegirl, the Senator is not going to be your boyfriend, the Senator just wants to get off. Augh!
I also really struggled with the idea that a woman would write another woman to be this stupid. Just, wow.
Anyway, I could tell that JCO is a good writer and all of that, but I hated the way she wrote Kelleher, and since the book is from Kelleher's POV, that pretty much killed the whole thing for me. Not a great first impression of JCO , so if anyone has read something of hers that was good, let me know.
JCO uses a blunt, visceral style, heavy in repetition, and repeatedly culminating with Kopechne's stand-in, Kelly Kelleher's, thoughts during the crash and as she's accepting her fate.
I couldn't stand the way JCO wrote Kelleher, and it turns out I just had to turn to the Amazon description of her to nail it: "Kelly becomes the very embodiment of the vulnerable, romantic dreams of bright and brave women, drawn to the power that certain men command."
I hate, hate, hate this approach to this character. Kelleher is supposed to be a 26-year-old political journalist who then ends up fawning over "The Senator" (never given a name) for the fact that he's even talking to her. Someone at that age, and at that point in their career, would be well-versed in men with power and know how to talk to them without going weak at the knees. When you're a journalist, you learn at a very young age that men will try to wield their power to get you into bed. Hell, when you're a woman in any career path, you probably learn this. I had men fawning over me when I was a teenage music journalist! So I just don't buy a journalist in their mid-20s as naive and totally clueless, but Black Water is written in rose-colored glasses. She's written as too naive, and overly vulnerable and romantic for someone who's a 26-year-old political journalist who likely just wants to go get her fuck on. And if you want to shift the conversation to the real life incident, I don't think Mary Jo Kopechne was this much of a naive twit, either - she was a political influencer! She had been in politics for six years when this happened - I don't think she was as naive and romantic as this character that's supposed to be based on her.
Maybe I'm just a cynical old broad now, but I would've bought into this if the approach to Kelleher had been less about her being some sort of idealistic "good girl." I don't think that's a flattering or realistic portrait of modern women at that age. Not all women have to feel romantically about a man to want to go to bed with him. Maybe she just wanted to get laid! That would've been fine! I would've much preferred a book that didn't have such a one-sided goody-two-shoes kind of character. It would've made more sense if Kelleher had gone home with him because she wanted to try to scoop a story on him, or if it was simply that she liked sex and saw an opportunity to get laid. Instead, we get her impressions of the Senator contrasted with an old boyfriend. Homegirl, the Senator is not going to be your boyfriend, the Senator just wants to get off. Augh!
I also really struggled with the idea that a woman would write another woman to be this stupid. Just, wow.
Anyway, I could tell that JCO is a good writer and all of that, but I hated the way she wrote Kelleher, and since the book is from Kelleher's POV, that pretty much killed the whole thing for me. Not a great first impression of JCO , so if anyone has read something of hers that was good, let me know.
February 6, 2018
螔伪胃渭慰位慰纬委伪: 5/10
韦慰 "螠伪蠉蟻伪 谓蔚蟻维" 萎蟿伪谓 苇谓伪 尾喂尾位喂伪蟻维魏喂 蟺慰蠀 苇蠄伪蠂谓伪 纬喂伪 伪蟻魏蔚蟿蠈 魏伪喂蟻蠈, 渭苇蠂蟻喂 蟺慰蠀 蟿慰 蟺苇蟿蠀蠂伪 蟺蟻喂谓 魏维蟿喂 渭苇蟻蔚蟼 蟽'苇谓伪 蟺伪位伪喂慰尾喂尾位喂慰蟺蠅位蔚委慰 魏伪喂 蟿慰 蟺伪蟻萎纬纬蔚喂位伪. 围胃蔚蟼 苇蠁蟿伪蟽蔚 蟽蟿慰 蟽蟺委蟿喂 渭慰蠀 魏伪喂 蟽萎渭蔚蟻伪 蟿慰 未喂维尾伪蟽伪. 螒蟺慰纬慰萎蟿蔚蠀蟽畏! 螒谓 魏伪喂 渭喂魏蟻蠈 蟽蔚 渭苇纬蔚胃慰蟼, 渭蔚 魏慰蠉蟻伪蟽蔚 伪蠁维谓蟿伪蟽蟿伪, 纬喂伪蟿委 未蔚谓 魏伪蟿维蠁蔚蟻蔚 蟽蔚 魏伪谓苇谓伪 蟽畏渭蔚委慰 谓伪 渭蔚 蟽蠀纬魏喂谓萎蟽蔚喂, 谓伪 渭蔚 蟿伪蟻伪魏慰蠀谓萎蟽蔚喂, 谓伪 渭蔚 魏维谓蔚喂 谓伪 蔚谓未喂伪蠁蔚蟻胃蠋 苇蟽蟿蠅 魏伪喂 蟽蟿慰 蔚位维蠂喂蟽蟿慰. 螚 蠈位畏 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蔚委谓伪喂 苇谓伪 尉伪谓伪蟽蟿萎蟽喂渭慰 蔚谓蠈蟼 伪位畏胃喂谓慰蠉 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟿伪蟿喂魏慰蠉, 伪蠀蟿慰蠉 蟿慰蠀 蟺慰蟿伪渭慰蠉 Chappaquiddick 蟿畏蟼 螠伪蟽伪蠂慰蠀蟽苇蟿畏蟼, 蟺慰蠀 蟽蠀谓蟿维蟻伪尉蔚 蟿喂蟼 螚谓蠅渭苇谓蔚蟼 螤慰位喂蟿蔚委蔚蟼 蟿慰 1969. 螣 谓蔚伪蟻蠈蟼 纬蔚蟻慰蠀蟽喂伪蟽蟿萎蟼 螆谓蟿慰蠀伪蟻谓蟿 螝苇谓蔚谓蟿喂 慰未畏纬慰蠉蟽蔚 苇谓伪 伪蠀蟿慰魏委谓畏蟿慰, 蟿慰 慰蟺慰委慰 蟺伪蟻苇魏魏位喂谓蔚 蟿畏蟼 蟺慰蟻蔚委伪蟼 蟿慰蠀 魏伪喂 苇蟺蔚蟽蔚 蟽蟿慰 蟺慰蟿维渭喂, 慰未畏纬蠋谓蟿伪蟼 蟽蟿慰 胃维谓伪蟿慰 蟿畏 蟽蠀谓慰未畏纬蠈 蟿慰蠀, 渭喂伪 谓蔚伪蟻萎 纬蟻伪渭渭伪蟿苇伪.
危蟿畏谓 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蟿慰蠀 尾喂尾位委慰蠀, 畏 渭蔚谓 蟺蟻蠅蟿伪纬蠅谓委蟽蟿蟻喂伪 未喂伪蠁苇蟻蔚喂 蟽蔚 伪蟻魏蔚蟿维 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏谓 伪位畏胃喂谓萎 魏慰蟺苇位伪 蟺慰蠀 蟺谓委纬畏魏蔚, 慰 渭蔚谓 螕蔚蟻慰蠀蟽喂伪蟽蟿萎蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 渭蔚蟽萎位喂魏伪蟼 魏伪喂 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 蟺蔚喂 魏伪谓蔚委蟼 蠈蟿喂 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽喂维味蔚蟿伪喂 蟽伪谓 蔚魏渭蔚蟿伪位位蔚蠀蟿萎蟼 蔚蠉蟺喂蟽蟿蠅谓 魏慰蟻伪蟽委未蠅谓. 螇 魏维蟿喂 蟿苇蟿慰喂慰. 螤伪蟻伪魏慰位慰蠀胃慰蠉渭蔚 蟿喂蟼 蟽魏苇蠄蔚喂蟼 魏伪喂 蟿喂蟼 蔚喂魏蠈谓蔚蟼 蟺慰蠀 苇蟻蠂慰谓蟿伪喂 蟽蟿慰 渭蠀伪位蠈 蟿畏蟼 魏慰蟺苇位伪蟼 魏伪蟿维 蟿畏 未喂维蟻魏蔚喂伪 蟿慰蠀 蟺谓喂纬渭慰蠉 蟿畏蟼, 蟿慰 蟺蠅蟼 纬谓蠅蟻委蟽蟿畏魏蔚 渭蔚 蟿慰谓 螕蔚蟻慰蠀蟽喂伪蟽蟿萎, 蟿慰 蟺慰喂蔚蟼 萎蟿伪谓 慰喂 伪蟺蠈蠄蔚喂蟼 蟿畏蟼, 魏伪喂 蟺维蔚喂 位苇纬慰谓蟿伪蟼. 螛伪 渭蟺慰蟻慰蠉蟽伪 谓伪 蟺蠅 蟺慰位位维 纬喂伪 蟿慰 蟺蠅蟼 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽喂维味慰谓蟿伪喂 慰喂 未蠀慰 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼, 纬喂伪 蟿伪 胃苇渭伪蟿伪 蟺慰蠀 蔚蟺喂蠁伪谓蔚喂伪魏维 胃委纬蔚喂 畏 螌慰蠀蟿蟼 -胃苇渭伪蟿伪 蟺慰蠀 维蟺蟿慰谓蟿伪喂 蟿畏蟼 蟺慰位喂蟿喂魏萎蟼, 蟿畏蟼 蔚尉慰蠀蟽委伪蟼 魏伪喂 蟿慰蠀 苇蟻蠅蟿伪-, 纬喂伪 蟿慰谓 蠈位慰 蟺伪蟻伪位畏蟻畏渭伪蟿喂魏蠈, "慰谓蔚喂蟻喂魏蠈" 魏伪喂, 蔚谓蟿苇位蔚喂, 魏慰蠀蟻伪蟽蟿喂魏蠈 蟿蟻蠈蟺慰 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽委伪蟽畏蟼 魏伪喂 纬蟻伪蠁萎蟼, 蠈渭蠅蟼 未蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 伪蟺伪蟻伪委蟿畏蟿慰. 螘谓蟿维尉蔚喂, 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 蟺蔚喂 魏伪谓蔚委蟼 蠈蟿喂 蟿慰 蟽蠀纬魏蔚魏蟻喂渭苇谓慰 蟽蟿喂位 魏伪喂 蠉蠁慰蟼 纬蟻伪蠁萎蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 喂未喂伪委蟿蔚蟻慰, 伪位位维 蟺蟻慰蟽蠅蟺喂魏维 渭蔚 维蠁畏蟽蔚 伪未喂维蠁慰蟻慰.
螘委谓伪喂 蟿慰 蟿蟻委蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 蟿畏蟼 螌慰蠀蟿蟼 蟺慰蠀 未喂伪尾维味蠅, 渭喂伪蟼 魏伪喂 蟿慰 2013 蔚委蠂伪 未喂伪尾维蟽蔚喂 未蠀慰 尾喂尾位委伪 蟿畏蟼: 韦慰 "螙蠈渭蟺喂" (喂未喂伪委蟿蔚蟻慰 伪位位维 魏伪位蠈) 魏伪喂 蟿慰 "螒魏蟻喂尾慰委 维谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰喂" (魏维蟺蠅蟼 渭苇蟿蟻喂慰), 魏伪喂 蔚喂位喂魏蟻喂谓维 未蔚谓 尉苇蟻蠅 伪谓 蟿蔚位喂魏维 蔚委谓伪喂 蟿慰蠀 纬慰蠉蟽蟿慰蠀 渭慰蠀 慰 蟿蟻蠈蟺慰蟼 纬蟻伪蠁萎蟼 魏伪喂 蟽魏苇蠄畏蟼 蟿畏蟼 蟽蠀纬魏蔚魏蟻喂渭苇谓畏蟼 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇蠅蟼. 危蟿畏 尾喂尾位喂慰胃萎魏畏 渭慰蠀 苇蠂蠅 魏伪喂 蟿慰 "螣 维纬纬蔚位慰蟼 蟿畏蟼 慰蟻纬萎蟼", 蟿慰 慰蟺慰委慰 蟽委纬慰蠀蟻伪 胃伪 未喂伪尾维蟽蠅 魏维蟺慰喂伪 蟽蟿喂纬渭萎, 伪位位维 蔚委谓伪喂 伪尾苇尾伪喂慰 伪谓 胃伪 蠀蟺维蟻尉蔚喂 蟺蔚蟻伪喂蟿苇蟻蠅... 未喂蔚蟻蔚蠉谓畏蟽畏.
韦慰 "螠伪蠉蟻伪 谓蔚蟻维" 萎蟿伪谓 苇谓伪 尾喂尾位喂伪蟻维魏喂 蟺慰蠀 苇蠄伪蠂谓伪 纬喂伪 伪蟻魏蔚蟿蠈 魏伪喂蟻蠈, 渭苇蠂蟻喂 蟺慰蠀 蟿慰 蟺苇蟿蠀蠂伪 蟺蟻喂谓 魏维蟿喂 渭苇蟻蔚蟼 蟽'苇谓伪 蟺伪位伪喂慰尾喂尾位喂慰蟺蠅位蔚委慰 魏伪喂 蟿慰 蟺伪蟻萎纬纬蔚喂位伪. 围胃蔚蟼 苇蠁蟿伪蟽蔚 蟽蟿慰 蟽蟺委蟿喂 渭慰蠀 魏伪喂 蟽萎渭蔚蟻伪 蟿慰 未喂维尾伪蟽伪. 螒蟺慰纬慰萎蟿蔚蠀蟽畏! 螒谓 魏伪喂 渭喂魏蟻蠈 蟽蔚 渭苇纬蔚胃慰蟼, 渭蔚 魏慰蠉蟻伪蟽蔚 伪蠁维谓蟿伪蟽蟿伪, 纬喂伪蟿委 未蔚谓 魏伪蟿维蠁蔚蟻蔚 蟽蔚 魏伪谓苇谓伪 蟽畏渭蔚委慰 谓伪 渭蔚 蟽蠀纬魏喂谓萎蟽蔚喂, 谓伪 渭蔚 蟿伪蟻伪魏慰蠀谓萎蟽蔚喂, 谓伪 渭蔚 魏维谓蔚喂 谓伪 蔚谓未喂伪蠁蔚蟻胃蠋 苇蟽蟿蠅 魏伪喂 蟽蟿慰 蔚位维蠂喂蟽蟿慰. 螚 蠈位畏 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蔚委谓伪喂 苇谓伪 尉伪谓伪蟽蟿萎蟽喂渭慰 蔚谓蠈蟼 伪位畏胃喂谓慰蠉 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟿伪蟿喂魏慰蠉, 伪蠀蟿慰蠉 蟿慰蠀 蟺慰蟿伪渭慰蠉 Chappaquiddick 蟿畏蟼 螠伪蟽伪蠂慰蠀蟽苇蟿畏蟼, 蟺慰蠀 蟽蠀谓蟿维蟻伪尉蔚 蟿喂蟼 螚谓蠅渭苇谓蔚蟼 螤慰位喂蟿蔚委蔚蟼 蟿慰 1969. 螣 谓蔚伪蟻蠈蟼 纬蔚蟻慰蠀蟽喂伪蟽蟿萎蟼 螆谓蟿慰蠀伪蟻谓蟿 螝苇谓蔚谓蟿喂 慰未畏纬慰蠉蟽蔚 苇谓伪 伪蠀蟿慰魏委谓畏蟿慰, 蟿慰 慰蟺慰委慰 蟺伪蟻苇魏魏位喂谓蔚 蟿畏蟼 蟺慰蟻蔚委伪蟼 蟿慰蠀 魏伪喂 苇蟺蔚蟽蔚 蟽蟿慰 蟺慰蟿维渭喂, 慰未畏纬蠋谓蟿伪蟼 蟽蟿慰 胃维谓伪蟿慰 蟿畏 蟽蠀谓慰未畏纬蠈 蟿慰蠀, 渭喂伪 谓蔚伪蟻萎 纬蟻伪渭渭伪蟿苇伪.
危蟿畏谓 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蟿慰蠀 尾喂尾位委慰蠀, 畏 渭蔚谓 蟺蟻蠅蟿伪纬蠅谓委蟽蟿蟻喂伪 未喂伪蠁苇蟻蔚喂 蟽蔚 伪蟻魏蔚蟿维 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏谓 伪位畏胃喂谓萎 魏慰蟺苇位伪 蟺慰蠀 蟺谓委纬畏魏蔚, 慰 渭蔚谓 螕蔚蟻慰蠀蟽喂伪蟽蟿萎蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 渭蔚蟽萎位喂魏伪蟼 魏伪喂 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 蟺蔚喂 魏伪谓蔚委蟼 蠈蟿喂 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽喂维味蔚蟿伪喂 蟽伪谓 蔚魏渭蔚蟿伪位位蔚蠀蟿萎蟼 蔚蠉蟺喂蟽蟿蠅谓 魏慰蟻伪蟽委未蠅谓. 螇 魏维蟿喂 蟿苇蟿慰喂慰. 螤伪蟻伪魏慰位慰蠀胃慰蠉渭蔚 蟿喂蟼 蟽魏苇蠄蔚喂蟼 魏伪喂 蟿喂蟼 蔚喂魏蠈谓蔚蟼 蟺慰蠀 苇蟻蠂慰谓蟿伪喂 蟽蟿慰 渭蠀伪位蠈 蟿畏蟼 魏慰蟺苇位伪蟼 魏伪蟿维 蟿畏 未喂维蟻魏蔚喂伪 蟿慰蠀 蟺谓喂纬渭慰蠉 蟿畏蟼, 蟿慰 蟺蠅蟼 纬谓蠅蟻委蟽蟿畏魏蔚 渭蔚 蟿慰谓 螕蔚蟻慰蠀蟽喂伪蟽蟿萎, 蟿慰 蟺慰喂蔚蟼 萎蟿伪谓 慰喂 伪蟺蠈蠄蔚喂蟼 蟿畏蟼, 魏伪喂 蟺维蔚喂 位苇纬慰谓蟿伪蟼. 螛伪 渭蟺慰蟻慰蠉蟽伪 谓伪 蟺蠅 蟺慰位位维 纬喂伪 蟿慰 蟺蠅蟼 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽喂维味慰谓蟿伪喂 慰喂 未蠀慰 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼, 纬喂伪 蟿伪 胃苇渭伪蟿伪 蟺慰蠀 蔚蟺喂蠁伪谓蔚喂伪魏维 胃委纬蔚喂 畏 螌慰蠀蟿蟼 -胃苇渭伪蟿伪 蟺慰蠀 维蟺蟿慰谓蟿伪喂 蟿畏蟼 蟺慰位喂蟿喂魏萎蟼, 蟿畏蟼 蔚尉慰蠀蟽委伪蟼 魏伪喂 蟿慰蠀 苇蟻蠅蟿伪-, 纬喂伪 蟿慰谓 蠈位慰 蟺伪蟻伪位畏蟻畏渭伪蟿喂魏蠈, "慰谓蔚喂蟻喂魏蠈" 魏伪喂, 蔚谓蟿苇位蔚喂, 魏慰蠀蟻伪蟽蟿喂魏蠈 蟿蟻蠈蟺慰 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽委伪蟽畏蟼 魏伪喂 纬蟻伪蠁萎蟼, 蠈渭蠅蟼 未蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 伪蟺伪蟻伪委蟿畏蟿慰. 螘谓蟿维尉蔚喂, 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 蟺蔚喂 魏伪谓蔚委蟼 蠈蟿喂 蟿慰 蟽蠀纬魏蔚魏蟻喂渭苇谓慰 蟽蟿喂位 魏伪喂 蠉蠁慰蟼 纬蟻伪蠁萎蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 喂未喂伪委蟿蔚蟻慰, 伪位位维 蟺蟻慰蟽蠅蟺喂魏维 渭蔚 维蠁畏蟽蔚 伪未喂维蠁慰蟻慰.
螘委谓伪喂 蟿慰 蟿蟻委蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 蟿畏蟼 螌慰蠀蟿蟼 蟺慰蠀 未喂伪尾维味蠅, 渭喂伪蟼 魏伪喂 蟿慰 2013 蔚委蠂伪 未喂伪尾维蟽蔚喂 未蠀慰 尾喂尾位委伪 蟿畏蟼: 韦慰 "螙蠈渭蟺喂" (喂未喂伪委蟿蔚蟻慰 伪位位维 魏伪位蠈) 魏伪喂 蟿慰 "螒魏蟻喂尾慰委 维谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰喂" (魏维蟺蠅蟼 渭苇蟿蟻喂慰), 魏伪喂 蔚喂位喂魏蟻喂谓维 未蔚谓 尉苇蟻蠅 伪谓 蟿蔚位喂魏维 蔚委谓伪喂 蟿慰蠀 纬慰蠉蟽蟿慰蠀 渭慰蠀 慰 蟿蟻蠈蟺慰蟼 纬蟻伪蠁萎蟼 魏伪喂 蟽魏苇蠄畏蟼 蟿畏蟼 蟽蠀纬魏蔚魏蟻喂渭苇谓畏蟼 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇蠅蟼. 危蟿畏 尾喂尾位喂慰胃萎魏畏 渭慰蠀 苇蠂蠅 魏伪喂 蟿慰 "螣 维纬纬蔚位慰蟼 蟿畏蟼 慰蟻纬萎蟼", 蟿慰 慰蟺慰委慰 蟽委纬慰蠀蟻伪 胃伪 未喂伪尾维蟽蠅 魏维蟺慰喂伪 蟽蟿喂纬渭萎, 伪位位维 蔚委谓伪喂 伪尾苇尾伪喂慰 伪谓 胃伪 蠀蟺维蟻尉蔚喂 蟺蔚蟻伪喂蟿苇蟻蠅... 未喂蔚蟻蔚蠉谓畏蟽畏.
March 26, 2024
Based on a tragic incident back in the late 60s involving Senator Edward M. Kennedy and a campaign secretary (Mary Jo Kopechne), this reinvented fictional account, despite only being novella length, I had to push myself to finish. Not quite literary pretentiousness of the highest order but not far off.
February 11, 2021
Nem sei porque levei tanto tempo a ler este livro. N茫o 茅 extenso e a hist贸ria prende a aten莽茫o. Um epis贸dio "banal", num quatro de Julho nas Am茅ricas do final dos anos oitenta. Um carro vai na estrada e faz um desvio que supostamente encurtar谩 o tempo de viagem, mas j谩 os antigos diziam que quem se mete em atalhos anda toda a vida em trabalhos e os antigos, digam o que disserem, "percebiam da poda" e diziam muitas coisas acertadas.
Ora, tanto se metem em trabalhos que o carrinho vai cair nas 谩guas negras de um rio. Nada de novo, carros caem ao rio todos os dias - n茫o sei se sim, isto j谩 sou eu a extrapolar - n茫o fosse dentro do carro O Senador acompanhado de uma bela jovem com idade para ser sua filha. A partir daqui a a莽茫o vai alternando entre a afli莽茫o da jovem que fica presa dentro do carro - enquanto O Senador consegue escapar - convencida de que este voltar谩 para a salvar (pobre inocente!), e os acontecimentos que a levaram 脿 enrascada em que agora se encontra.
Isto j谩 se estava mesmo a ver como 茅 que iria acabar. Uma jovem encantada por um homem casado, com idade para ser seu pai e senador dos E.U.A. 脫 filha, tu foste ludibriada e ca铆ste (tanto que caiu ao rio :P) como um patinho na conversa do senhor pol铆tico e o que 茅 que ele te fez? Deixou-te a tomar banho dentro do carro at茅 que os teus pulm玫es ficaram cheios de 谩gua! E nem sequer era um tipo assim bonito, pelo menos pela descri莽茫o dada no livro - se bem que dizem que a beleza est谩 nos olhos de quem a contempla - mas tinha l谩bia e enredou-te como um peixinho.
Eu penso que a mo莽a realmente ficou a dormir com os peixes, mas a escrita, com tanto avan莽o e retrocesso na a莽茫o tornou-se um pouco confusa. E havia partes que eu n茫o sei se a mo莽a estava em del铆rio, pois parecia que j谩 tinha sido salva, mas depois j谩 estava dentro do carro. Enfim, a li莽茫o a retirar 茅: jovens, cuidado com Senadores e pol铆ticos assim em geral! :D
Ora, tanto se metem em trabalhos que o carrinho vai cair nas 谩guas negras de um rio. Nada de novo, carros caem ao rio todos os dias - n茫o sei se sim, isto j谩 sou eu a extrapolar - n茫o fosse dentro do carro O Senador acompanhado de uma bela jovem com idade para ser sua filha. A partir daqui a a莽茫o vai alternando entre a afli莽茫o da jovem que fica presa dentro do carro - enquanto O Senador consegue escapar - convencida de que este voltar谩 para a salvar (pobre inocente!), e os acontecimentos que a levaram 脿 enrascada em que agora se encontra.
Isto j谩 se estava mesmo a ver como 茅 que iria acabar. Uma jovem encantada por um homem casado, com idade para ser seu pai e senador dos E.U.A. 脫 filha, tu foste ludibriada e ca铆ste (tanto que caiu ao rio :P) como um patinho na conversa do senhor pol铆tico e o que 茅 que ele te fez? Deixou-te a tomar banho dentro do carro at茅 que os teus pulm玫es ficaram cheios de 谩gua! E nem sequer era um tipo assim bonito, pelo menos pela descri莽茫o dada no livro - se bem que dizem que a beleza est谩 nos olhos de quem a contempla - mas tinha l谩bia e enredou-te como um peixinho.
Eu penso que a mo莽a realmente ficou a dormir com os peixes, mas a escrita, com tanto avan莽o e retrocesso na a莽茫o tornou-se um pouco confusa. E havia partes que eu n茫o sei se a mo莽a estava em del铆rio, pois parecia que j谩 tinha sido salva, mas depois j谩 estava dentro do carro. Enfim, a li莽茫o a retirar 茅: jovens, cuidado com Senadores e pol铆ticos assim em geral! :D
December 16, 2019
鈥淪he wasn't in love but she would love him, if that would save her.鈥�
鈥� Joyce Carol Oates, Black Water
Gut wrenching is how I'd describe this book. It is very short and as you may have gleaned it essentially is based on Chappaquiddick and what happened that horrible night when the car went into the water. Different names but this is the story that is told.
Ominous is the world I'd use. The reader knows everything that is going to happen ahead of time and it's really impossible not to get swept up in this.
It packs a strong punch..and may make you feel a little sick inside. This can be read in one sitting and it really makes you both angry and terribly sad. Superbly written.
鈥� Joyce Carol Oates, Black Water
Gut wrenching is how I'd describe this book. It is very short and as you may have gleaned it essentially is based on Chappaquiddick and what happened that horrible night when the car went into the water. Different names but this is the story that is told.
Ominous is the world I'd use. The reader knows everything that is going to happen ahead of time and it's really impossible not to get swept up in this.
It packs a strong punch..and may make you feel a little sick inside. This can be read in one sitting and it really makes you both angry and terribly sad. Superbly written.
September 15, 2024
Oates recreates a fictional story based on the accident that involved Ted Kennedy at Chappaquiddick. The story follows Kelly Kellher, a twenty six year old young woman, who is picked up by a prominent Senator after several drinks. They are driving to catch the last ferry that is about to leave and are speeding on an old country road. Because of their speed and the drinks the Senator has consumed they slide off the road and plunge into the water below. The Senator manages to escape from the car and swim to shore leaving Kelly to drown. Oates weaves the story back and forth between what occurred before the accident and Kelly's struggles in the car as she drowns.
August 3, 2018
Black Water, Joyce Carol Oates鈥� fictional take on the 1969 Chappaquiddick incident, is a searing and poetic look at the final, desperate moments of a life and what is revealed when a human is cut to her very core.
I did feel this novella was just a bit repetitive 鈥� as has been pointed out by other reviews on here 鈥� but maybe that鈥檚 the point. Maybe Oates is going for a spiraling free form: a feeling probably not unlike the sensation of drowning over a span of hours.
This quick read cuts like a knife, and it lingers. Absolutely superb.
I did feel this novella was just a bit repetitive 鈥� as has been pointed out by other reviews on here 鈥� but maybe that鈥檚 the point. Maybe Oates is going for a spiraling free form: a feeling probably not unlike the sensation of drowning over a span of hours.
This quick read cuts like a knife, and it lingers. Absolutely superb.
January 29, 2022
Istoria este scris膬 de 卯nving膬tori, iar acest postulat se refer膬, de cele mai dese ori, chiar 葯i la interac葲iunea celor care au puterea cu cei domina葲i de putere. Metafora samavolniciei, a dizgra葲iei umane se reg膬se葯te perfect 卯n romanul 鈥濧pa neagr膬鈥� de Joyce Carol Oates. 葰in s膬 men锟斤拷ionez c膬 am tot am芒nat lectura acestei c膬r葲i, de葯i, 卯n repetate, r芒nduri 卯mi ap膬rea 卯n aten葲ie. Se pare, totu葯i, c膬 fiecare carte 卯葯i are ceasul s膬u de glorie, iar prima mea 卯nt芒lnire cu Oates 葯i-a meritat a葯teptarea din plin.
Haide葲i s膬 arunc膬m o privire asupra subiectului. Deci, romanul 鈥濧pa neagr膬鈥� de Joyce Carol Oates prinde 卯ntr-un cadru aproape cinematografic momentul c芒nd ma葯ina unui senator american se 卯neac膬 cu o t芒n膬r膬 invitat膬 la bord. Acele c芒teva minute, ore de 卯nec sunt prinse 卯n lentoarea povestirii, exact ca 葯i bolidul tras de m芒lul 卯ntunecat 葯i t膬cut. Kelly Kelleher este o t芒n膬r膬 exemplar膬, un adev膬rat patriot, care 卯nva葲膬 ce este 葯i cu ce se m膬n芒nc膬 politica. E o fire ambi葲ioas膬, dar calm膬, profund ata葯at膬 de p膬rin葲ii s膬i, 卯ndr膬gostit膬 de idealurile muncii sale.
Totul se desf膬葯oar膬 卯ntr-o armonie 葯i o normalitate p芒n膬 apare el, acel Mister X, acel senator exemplar 卯n fa葲a reflectoarelor, care 卯ns膬 o asigur膬 c膬 via葲a sa intim膬 este de departe una dintre cele mai nefericite. Kelly crede, devine obedient膬, vede carisma sa dincolo masca r膬pitorului. Cei doi se aventureaz膬 卯ntr-un roman delicat, fragil, un melanj de emo葲ie 葯i de p膬cat. Ei doi devin ilustra葲ia unor rapoarte 卯n care nu e loc de m芒ndrie, 卯n care jena 卯葯i croie葯te ferm calea.
Iat膬-i gonind pe o strad膬 na葲ional膬, 卯mb膬ta葲i de alcool 葯i de euforia fructului interzis. O mi葯care gre葯it膬, galopant膬 葯i ma葯ina derapeaz膬 de pe 葯osea. De aici, Oates transform膬 nara葲iunea 卯n cadre de film. Iat膬 momentul c膬derii. Iat膬 zbaterea celor doi. Iat膬 momentul 卯n care el o calc膬 pe cap ca s膬-葯i elibereze trupul sc芒rnav din 卯mbr膬葲i葯area mor葲ii. Totul se desf膬葯oar膬 cu un 卯ncetinitor, de parc膬 acea ap膬 neagr膬 nu e altceva dec芒t fluviul lui Charon, o trecere 卯n nefiin葲膬.
Oates e o naratoare care pare s膬 adere la stilul inconfundabil al Virginiei Woolf. Acea manier膬 cu care spune lucrurile pe jum膬tate, las膬 paranteze deschise, d膬 cititorului posibilitatea de a empatiza sau de a ur卯 鈥� toate la un loc dau c膬r葲ii o form膬 lipsit膬 de cli葯ee. Joyce Carol Oates exploateaz膬 metehnele umane, dar f膬r膬 verbalizarea excesiv膬, f膬r膬 acel element profund moralizant. Este o balad膬 a unei mor葲i stupide, 卯n care se dezv膬luie treptat, 卯ncet natura uman膬.
Pentru cei care nu cunosc substraturile romanului, acesta are la baz膬 un eveniment real. Romanul a fost inspirat de incidentul Chappaquiddick, un accident de ma葯in膬 cu un singur vehicul care a avut loc pe Insula Chappaquiddick din Massachusetts, 卯n jurul miezului nop葲ii, 卯ntre vineri, 18 iulie 葯i s芒mb膬t膬, 19 iulie 1969. Accidentul a fost cauzat de neglijen葲a senatorului Edward M. (Ted) Kennedy 葯i a dus la moartea pasagerului s膬u, Mary Jo Kopechne, 卯n v芒rst膬 de 28 de ani, care a r膬mas blocat膬 卯n interiorul vehiculului.
Oates a c芒葯tigat aten葲ia mea de cititor, pentru c芒teva motive:
- Nu a exploatat subiectul sexualit膬葲ii 鈥� nu ve葲i g膬si scene fierbin葲i, doar aluzii, suficient c芒t s膬 prind膬 aten葲ia cititorului;
- A redat moartea 卯ntr-un joc literar de anvergur膬. Este dificil s膬 captezi acele ultime momente 卯n care victima traverseaz膬 culoarul memoriei;
- Nu a plictisit. Nici un gram.
Cred c膬 nu voi gre葯i afirm芒nd faptul c膬 romanul 鈥濧pa neagr膬鈥� de Joyce Carol Oates este obsedant, curajos, non-conformist, un veritabil elogiu adus purgatoriului uman.
Nota mea e 9 din 10.
Haide葲i s膬 arunc膬m o privire asupra subiectului. Deci, romanul 鈥濧pa neagr膬鈥� de Joyce Carol Oates prinde 卯ntr-un cadru aproape cinematografic momentul c芒nd ma葯ina unui senator american se 卯neac膬 cu o t芒n膬r膬 invitat膬 la bord. Acele c芒teva minute, ore de 卯nec sunt prinse 卯n lentoarea povestirii, exact ca 葯i bolidul tras de m芒lul 卯ntunecat 葯i t膬cut. Kelly Kelleher este o t芒n膬r膬 exemplar膬, un adev膬rat patriot, care 卯nva葲膬 ce este 葯i cu ce se m膬n芒nc膬 politica. E o fire ambi葲ioas膬, dar calm膬, profund ata葯at膬 de p膬rin葲ii s膬i, 卯ndr膬gostit膬 de idealurile muncii sale.
Totul se desf膬葯oar膬 卯ntr-o armonie 葯i o normalitate p芒n膬 apare el, acel Mister X, acel senator exemplar 卯n fa葲a reflectoarelor, care 卯ns膬 o asigur膬 c膬 via葲a sa intim膬 este de departe una dintre cele mai nefericite. Kelly crede, devine obedient膬, vede carisma sa dincolo masca r膬pitorului. Cei doi se aventureaz膬 卯ntr-un roman delicat, fragil, un melanj de emo葲ie 葯i de p膬cat. Ei doi devin ilustra葲ia unor rapoarte 卯n care nu e loc de m芒ndrie, 卯n care jena 卯葯i croie葯te ferm calea.
Iat膬-i gonind pe o strad膬 na葲ional膬, 卯mb膬ta葲i de alcool 葯i de euforia fructului interzis. O mi葯care gre葯it膬, galopant膬 葯i ma葯ina derapeaz膬 de pe 葯osea. De aici, Oates transform膬 nara葲iunea 卯n cadre de film. Iat膬 momentul c膬derii. Iat膬 zbaterea celor doi. Iat膬 momentul 卯n care el o calc膬 pe cap ca s膬-葯i elibereze trupul sc芒rnav din 卯mbr膬葲i葯area mor葲ii. Totul se desf膬葯oar膬 cu un 卯ncetinitor, de parc膬 acea ap膬 neagr膬 nu e altceva dec芒t fluviul lui Charon, o trecere 卯n nefiin葲膬.
Oates e o naratoare care pare s膬 adere la stilul inconfundabil al Virginiei Woolf. Acea manier膬 cu care spune lucrurile pe jum膬tate, las膬 paranteze deschise, d膬 cititorului posibilitatea de a empatiza sau de a ur卯 鈥� toate la un loc dau c膬r葲ii o form膬 lipsit膬 de cli葯ee. Joyce Carol Oates exploateaz膬 metehnele umane, dar f膬r膬 verbalizarea excesiv膬, f膬r膬 acel element profund moralizant. Este o balad膬 a unei mor葲i stupide, 卯n care se dezv膬luie treptat, 卯ncet natura uman膬.
Pentru cei care nu cunosc substraturile romanului, acesta are la baz膬 un eveniment real. Romanul a fost inspirat de incidentul Chappaquiddick, un accident de ma葯in膬 cu un singur vehicul care a avut loc pe Insula Chappaquiddick din Massachusetts, 卯n jurul miezului nop葲ii, 卯ntre vineri, 18 iulie 葯i s芒mb膬t膬, 19 iulie 1969. Accidentul a fost cauzat de neglijen葲a senatorului Edward M. (Ted) Kennedy 葯i a dus la moartea pasagerului s膬u, Mary Jo Kopechne, 卯n v芒rst膬 de 28 de ani, care a r膬mas blocat膬 卯n interiorul vehiculului.
Oates a c芒葯tigat aten葲ia mea de cititor, pentru c芒teva motive:
- Nu a exploatat subiectul sexualit膬葲ii 鈥� nu ve葲i g膬si scene fierbin葲i, doar aluzii, suficient c芒t s膬 prind膬 aten葲ia cititorului;
- A redat moartea 卯ntr-un joc literar de anvergur膬. Este dificil s膬 captezi acele ultime momente 卯n care victima traverseaz膬 culoarul memoriei;
- Nu a plictisit. Nici un gram.
Cred c膬 nu voi gre葯i afirm芒nd faptul c膬 romanul 鈥濧pa neagr膬鈥� de Joyce Carol Oates este obsedant, curajos, non-conformist, un veritabil elogiu adus purgatoriului uman.
Nota mea e 9 din 10.
December 17, 2020
"Apa neagr膬" All 10猸�
Joyce Carol Oates
Sunt titluri - metafore, titluri care parc膬 nu au nici o leg膬tur膬 cu toat膬 povestea 葯i 卯葲i vine s膬 dai de pere葲i cu imagina葲ia cuiva!
Sunt c膬r葲i care nu vor r膬m芒ne 卯n memorie pentru foarte mult timp, pentru c膬 ori sunt repetitive, ori nu au o poveste demn膬 de emo葲iile 葯i maturitatea ta emo葲ional膬!
Sunt autori care cer葯esc aten葲ia cititorului cu hype 葯i titluri de bestselleruri, ap膬 de ploaie 葯i citate inspira葲ionale b膬gate la greu!
Ce fac c膬r葲ile scrise de Oates? Ele r膬m芒n, r膬m芒n acolo impregnate 卯n subcon葯tientul t膬u, pentru c膬 ea este acel scriitor care 葯tie exact cum s膬 lase urme, ea nu scrie talmuduri unde ar 卯ncearca s膬 cuprind膬 120 personaje prost construite, ea nu scrie despre momente siropoase, ea nu face dialoguri criptate sau filosofice.
Oates gradeaz膬, calculeaz膬 fiecare gram 卯n istorie, c芒t s膬 dea 葯i c芒t nu!
Scriitoarea ia un moment oribil din via葲a oric膬rui 葯i 卯l transform膬 卯ntr-o istorie c膬reia 卯i sim葲i mirosul, gustul 葯i vezi imaginea-monstru a ceea ce poate, c芒ndva, tu credeai c膬 e ceva frumos 葯i f膬r' de cusur!
Ce se 卯nt芒mpl膬 c芒nd o domni葯oar膬 卯葯i 卯ncurc膬 i葲ele cu un senator care se vrea pre葯edinte?
"Apa neagr膬" te men葲ine pe linia de plutire cu mici oaze de speran葲膬 葯i 卯葲i trage o palm膬, de te ia mama sfin葲ilor!
Wake up, sleeping beast!
Scurt膬, captivant膬, real膬, universal膬 prin cinismul ei 葯i lipsa de scrupule.
M膬 opresc aici, sunt prea 卯ncurcat膬 卯ntre indignare 葯i furie! L膬sa葲i hype-ul, brusca葲i-v膬 lini葯tea pu葲in, arunca葲i-v膬 卯n extrema temelor incomode!
Safe trip!
Cartea o g膬si葲i pe elefant.md
Editura Polirom Polirom Moldova
#foxbooks #citimpentruschimbare #joycecaroloates #apaneagr膬 #polirom
Joyce Carol Oates
Sunt titluri - metafore, titluri care parc膬 nu au nici o leg膬tur膬 cu toat膬 povestea 葯i 卯葲i vine s膬 dai de pere葲i cu imagina葲ia cuiva!
Sunt c膬r葲i care nu vor r膬m芒ne 卯n memorie pentru foarte mult timp, pentru c膬 ori sunt repetitive, ori nu au o poveste demn膬 de emo葲iile 葯i maturitatea ta emo葲ional膬!
Sunt autori care cer葯esc aten葲ia cititorului cu hype 葯i titluri de bestselleruri, ap膬 de ploaie 葯i citate inspira葲ionale b膬gate la greu!
Ce fac c膬r葲ile scrise de Oates? Ele r膬m芒n, r膬m芒n acolo impregnate 卯n subcon葯tientul t膬u, pentru c膬 ea este acel scriitor care 葯tie exact cum s膬 lase urme, ea nu scrie talmuduri unde ar 卯ncearca s膬 cuprind膬 120 personaje prost construite, ea nu scrie despre momente siropoase, ea nu face dialoguri criptate sau filosofice.
Oates gradeaz膬, calculeaz膬 fiecare gram 卯n istorie, c芒t s膬 dea 葯i c芒t nu!
Scriitoarea ia un moment oribil din via葲a oric膬rui 葯i 卯l transform膬 卯ntr-o istorie c膬reia 卯i sim葲i mirosul, gustul 葯i vezi imaginea-monstru a ceea ce poate, c芒ndva, tu credeai c膬 e ceva frumos 葯i f膬r' de cusur!
Ce se 卯nt芒mpl膬 c芒nd o domni葯oar膬 卯葯i 卯ncurc膬 i葲ele cu un senator care se vrea pre葯edinte?
"Apa neagr膬" te men葲ine pe linia de plutire cu mici oaze de speran葲膬 葯i 卯葲i trage o palm膬, de te ia mama sfin葲ilor!
Wake up, sleeping beast!
Scurt膬, captivant膬, real膬, universal膬 prin cinismul ei 葯i lipsa de scrupule.
M膬 opresc aici, sunt prea 卯ncurcat膬 卯ntre indignare 葯i furie! L膬sa葲i hype-ul, brusca葲i-v膬 lini葯tea pu葲in, arunca葲i-v膬 卯n extrema temelor incomode!
Safe trip!
Cartea o g膬si葲i pe elefant.md
Editura Polirom Polirom Moldova
#foxbooks #citimpentruschimbare #joycecaroloates #apaneagr膬 #polirom
October 14, 2016
Spare, beautifully-written roman 脿 clef about the Ted Kennedy Chappaquiddick incident. I love how Oates chose to frame the narration and though the book is short, the main character Kelly Kelleher is fully realized. Her actions, reactions, and decisions felt true. Loved this.
October 16, 2021
Oates has taken the tragic story of Ted Kennedy and Mary Jo Kopechne at Chappaquiddick and novelized it. And she did a great job. Finally, we can see, at least in theory, the fear and pain that Mary Jo ('Kelly') went through while Ted Kennedy ('The Senator') worked to cover his deadly actions.
For so long the incident at Chappaquiddick has focused on Kennedy and most people don't even recognize the name 'Mary Jo Kopechne'. With this work by Joyce Carol Oates we can finally get a glimpse of the story from the victim's view.
For so long the incident at Chappaquiddick has focused on Kennedy and most people don't even recognize the name 'Mary Jo Kopechne'. With this work by Joyce Carol Oates we can finally get a glimpse of the story from the victim's view.
April 15, 2025
3.5 猸� - terzo titolo di Joyce Carol Oates che leggo, anche questo ispirato a un caso di cronaca nera come le letture precedenti. Un romanzo brevissimo, intenso e struggente che racconta gli ultimi istanti di vita di una giovane ragazza. L'idea che il futuro brillante che la attendeva le sfugga improvvisamente dalle mani per colpa di un uomo potente mi ha fatta rabbrividire. Oates ha una scrittura potente che - come per Zombie - d脿 il suo meglio nel formato breve (ma non vedo l'ora di ricredermi leggendo molto altro). Veramente bello e crudele al tempo stesso.
December 14, 2023
// The moment, the preamble, the post-text //
The novella constructs a fictional narrative around the historic Chappaquiddick incident in July 1969, and the drowning death of Mary Jo Kopechne. Joyce Carol Oates gives background to the young woman ("Kelly" in her rendering), and her life before and during the day she met "the Senator". The Kennedy name is used several times in the text, though never identifying Ted Kennedy as the Senator who was driving the car that crashed into the canal.
"...he'd smiled happily gripping her hand squeezing it just perceptibly too hard unconsciously as men sometimes do, as some men sometimes do, needing to see to feel that pin-prick of startled pain in your eyes, the contraction of the pupil."
There's an urgency in the writing, and JCO uses the power dynamics of the relationship, as well as the impending dread to create an unsettling story. JCO employs more traditional narrative with interior stream-of-consciousness, which keeps the reader with the tragedy, with the victim. Chapters alternate between backstory and the moment of the car crash and the "black water" rushing in - reliving again and again the last moments.
Unsettling subject matter (the ethics of telling this story are murky for me...) but the novella itself is told in an intriguing way: a story about a few seconds/minutes of time.
The novella constructs a fictional narrative around the historic Chappaquiddick incident in July 1969, and the drowning death of Mary Jo Kopechne. Joyce Carol Oates gives background to the young woman ("Kelly" in her rendering), and her life before and during the day she met "the Senator". The Kennedy name is used several times in the text, though never identifying Ted Kennedy as the Senator who was driving the car that crashed into the canal.
"...he'd smiled happily gripping her hand squeezing it just perceptibly too hard unconsciously as men sometimes do, as some men sometimes do, needing to see to feel that pin-prick of startled pain in your eyes, the contraction of the pupil."
There's an urgency in the writing, and JCO uses the power dynamics of the relationship, as well as the impending dread to create an unsettling story. JCO employs more traditional narrative with interior stream-of-consciousness, which keeps the reader with the tragedy, with the victim. Chapters alternate between backstory and the moment of the car crash and the "black water" rushing in - reliving again and again the last moments.
Unsettling subject matter (the ethics of telling this story are murky for me...) but the novella itself is told in an intriguing way: a story about a few seconds/minutes of time.
May 7, 2025
Black Water by Carol Oates
This book kept me 鈥渙n the edge of my seat鈥�
This book is not a thriller but I would say that it reads like one.
Being rather short, it can be finished in about two hours and I would say that, although not action packed, it keeps you on the edge of the seat.
In a manner of speaking, because I have read about 95% of it in the Jacuzzi at the World Class spa.
Which is an interesting coincidence for Black Water deals with 鈥ater, what else and a muddy, dirty, black one at that.
From the start we know that a serious accident has taken place and a man and a young woman are trapped inside a car...
So there is no need for a spoiler alert, since we are from the beginning in about the same place as near the end.
I am writing these notes, without the final 5% which would anyway be irrelevant for here, since I am not about to let you in on what happens.
The funny or weird thing is that I had a sensation that I know about this and how it will end for a good part of the book.
I tried to engage Blonde, by the same author, only to find that it has a thousand pages or so, and it is based on the life of Marylyn Monroe.
So when the plot of Black Water involved a senator and an accident with a girl I had the feeling I knew about this.
There was a politician, who I felt must be one of the Kennedy brothers who traveled with a woman and they had an accident.
So I thought the girl dies in the end, but after a while I lost the conviction, for this accident appears to take place more recently.
The other incident happened a long time ago and in the end, this is still fiction and a major part is anyway speculation.
Like the scenes with the girl trapped in the car, where she is struggling, thinking in flashbacks about the past.
This is the author imagining with extraordinary talent and vision what could be in the mind of a person hostage in such an outrageous situation.
The characters are complex, so we cannot simply point to The Senator and say- there is you villain, the monster.
He is much older and can be viewed as guilty, for he has experience and should know better than to drink and drive.
As for his exit from the car, that can be understood, if not forgiven, as the impulse of a moment, when panic and the conservation instinct make people do things that can be automatic, impulsive and it is hard to judge them- I guess.
We do not know the name of the man and he is only referred to as The Senator, but the main character is Kelly Kelleher, who may have been predestined to meet this fate, if you believe in such things.
After all, before she even met the politician, she had a study about him and knew so much about the senator and appreciated a number of his initiatives.
They meet at a friend鈥檚 house near the ocean and in just a few hours a conservative reader would say that he manages to seduce her.
He drives aggressively, as they are bound for the mainland together, and on a back, shorter road the car skids and falls into the Black Water.
This book has kept reading with virtually no pause, up to the near end.
As I complete this note, I stopped and finish the final chapter, went on the net and read that the book was indeed based on what happened to Edward Kennedy in the sixties, an incident where the girl died.
Whether that happens in this novel I would not say.
It was a great read, terrifying at times
This book kept me 鈥渙n the edge of my seat鈥�
This book is not a thriller but I would say that it reads like one.
Being rather short, it can be finished in about two hours and I would say that, although not action packed, it keeps you on the edge of the seat.
In a manner of speaking, because I have read about 95% of it in the Jacuzzi at the World Class spa.
Which is an interesting coincidence for Black Water deals with 鈥ater, what else and a muddy, dirty, black one at that.
From the start we know that a serious accident has taken place and a man and a young woman are trapped inside a car...
So there is no need for a spoiler alert, since we are from the beginning in about the same place as near the end.
I am writing these notes, without the final 5% which would anyway be irrelevant for here, since I am not about to let you in on what happens.
The funny or weird thing is that I had a sensation that I know about this and how it will end for a good part of the book.
I tried to engage Blonde, by the same author, only to find that it has a thousand pages or so, and it is based on the life of Marylyn Monroe.
So when the plot of Black Water involved a senator and an accident with a girl I had the feeling I knew about this.
There was a politician, who I felt must be one of the Kennedy brothers who traveled with a woman and they had an accident.
So I thought the girl dies in the end, but after a while I lost the conviction, for this accident appears to take place more recently.
The other incident happened a long time ago and in the end, this is still fiction and a major part is anyway speculation.
Like the scenes with the girl trapped in the car, where she is struggling, thinking in flashbacks about the past.
This is the author imagining with extraordinary talent and vision what could be in the mind of a person hostage in such an outrageous situation.
The characters are complex, so we cannot simply point to The Senator and say- there is you villain, the monster.
He is much older and can be viewed as guilty, for he has experience and should know better than to drink and drive.
As for his exit from the car, that can be understood, if not forgiven, as the impulse of a moment, when panic and the conservation instinct make people do things that can be automatic, impulsive and it is hard to judge them- I guess.
We do not know the name of the man and he is only referred to as The Senator, but the main character is Kelly Kelleher, who may have been predestined to meet this fate, if you believe in such things.
After all, before she even met the politician, she had a study about him and knew so much about the senator and appreciated a number of his initiatives.
They meet at a friend鈥檚 house near the ocean and in just a few hours a conservative reader would say that he manages to seduce her.
He drives aggressively, as they are bound for the mainland together, and on a back, shorter road the car skids and falls into the Black Water.
This book has kept reading with virtually no pause, up to the near end.
As I complete this note, I stopped and finish the final chapter, went on the net and read that the book was indeed based on what happened to Edward Kennedy in the sixties, an incident where the girl died.
Whether that happens in this novel I would not say.
It was a great read, terrifying at times
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