The story is inherently depressing yet it is well written. The author effortlessly switches between the perspectives of the main characters with surprising clarity. Set in the post-war 1950s, an era filled with H-Bomb scares and moral conformity, none of the characters are happy, clear, or blameless. The plot centers around an incestuous love affair between an uncle and his niece. Meanwhile, the other characters float in and out, adding historical dimensionality and providing a religious, political, and ethical compass. As usual, I really enjoyed the narration from multiple perspectives. However, the level of detail sometimes borders on being too much, and I found myself eager to skip to the more essential parts. The story ends with a bit of a thud, but most of the characters are set up on a natural course.

At first, I was rather uneasy about the writing style of this work. It was almost-close-to-maybe-possibly a stream of consciousness.

As a result, I could have some insights into what the characters were thinking and how their minds worked, yet there wasn't any clear structure.

Once I reached the halfway point, I started to feel more at ease. I had a better understanding of the characters and their relationships with each other.

I also came to the conclusion that this was a'slice of life' piece, as it was simply describing this portion of the family's life without any clear centralizing event.

And once I accepted that, it seemed okay.

However, as the book continued (and on and on it went), I got increasingly bored.

Without a clear plot structure to hold onto, the story soon lost its momentum and fell flat.

The different story lines didn't seem to lead anywhere, or if they did, I didn't care by the end of it.

The writing style was interesting at times, beautifully complex in its own way, but at other times it was monotonous and boring.

Overall, I did not enjoy this book.

This movie offers a rather peculiar viewing experience.

On one hand, it has some mildly entertaining moments that manage to capture the audience's attention for a brief period. However, the overall theme of incest makes it mostly creepy and uncomfortable to watch.

The story unfolds in a way that feels like a bit of a slog, as if one has to wade through a mire of strange and unappealing情节.

Despite its flaws, it does have a certain allure that keeps viewers engaged, albeit perhaps more out of a sense of morbid curiosity than anything else.

Overall, it earns a rating of 2.5 stars, a mediocre score that reflects its mixed bag of qualities.

While Oates is truly a master at creating incredibly detailed and compelling characters along with their motives, I find myself still somewhat uncertain about what the redeeming qualities of this book might be.

We see that a 'bad guy' gets beaten up, which is a satisfying enough moment on one level. However, the young girl who has been used and abused throughout the story simply moves on. The way in which she comes to any sort of resolution or heals from her profound trauma remains completely unclear. It is so unclear, in fact, that it borders on being unbelievable.

The ending just seems like a very easy and perhaps even lazy way to wrap up the entire narrative. It doesn't do justice to the complexity of the characters and the situations they have been through. I was left feeling disappointed by the way things were resolved, or rather, not resolved. It makes me question whether the author really intended to leave such a gaping hole in the story or if it was an oversight. Either way, it detracts from what could have been a truly great and thought-provoking work.

A dense, heavy book offers little respite from the pervading atmosphere of impending catastrophe.

I obtained this book by finding it on the ground. Evidently, someone out there had enough and simply abandoned it in a parking lot.

Despite the rather grim tone, I cannot deny that it is exceedingly well-written and compellingly told.

This is the story of the Stevicks in the 1950s. Primarily, it's about Enid, a teenager, and her affair/abuse at the hands of her Uncle Felix, a professional boxer. It's a tense and ugly situation, difficult to read, yet again, well-narrated.

It's also the story of Lyle, her father, obsessed with building a bomb shelter; her sister Lizzy, who dreams of becoming a star; and her brother Warren, caught up in pacifist activism. These other characters have their own small arcs but never fully share the spotlight with Enid. They do, however, serve as necessary breathers between the episodes involving Enid and Felix.

The paragraphs Oates constructs are verbose, almost overstuffed with words. They are piled one on top of the other, and it can feel as if you'll drown in them. But then, sometimes, she'll let a single sentence stand alone, and it will seem to possess the clarity of a solitary bell in the spring morning air.

Perhaps you can sense my ambivalence towards the book. I think if it were funnier, I would have adored it. As it is, I respect it and am glad I read it, but I wouldn't recommend it lightly. It's for fans of well-written family dysfunction, serial abuse, and ambiguous endings.

Starting out slow for the time being, I find myself gradually drawn into the world of Oates. Her unique style of writing, which combines elements of violence and eroticism, is truly captivating. It's as if she has a magical touch that can make the most intense and complex emotions come alive on the page.

I love the way she explores the darker side of human nature, delving deep into the recesses of the psyche to uncover the hidden desires and fears that lie within. Her descriptions are so vivid and detailed that I can almost feel the heat and passion of the scenes she描绘s.

Despite the often disturbing subject matter, there is a strange beauty to her writing that keeps me coming back for more. It's like a dangerous allure that I can't resist. I'm excited to see where this journey with Oates will take me, and I know that I will continue to be amazed by her talent and creativity.

Just...... exemplary. The best characters I've encountered in years.

When you read Joyce Carol Oates, you understand pretty quickly why she has so little patience for many modern novelists. They just don't put in the work that she does. The extraordinary catharsis and anguish you're brought to at the end of her books simply aren't possible in, as she puts it, those little 120 p books with wide margins and thin characters. I thought of Jenny Offill and Sally Rooney more than once while reading this, and just can't imagine why anyone wastes their time accepting such paltry, insultingly meager offerings when you could revel in so much.

Joyce reconstructs an entire decade, country, county, city, way of life and being that doesn't exist anymore. Mere paragraphs offer more richness, life, and layers than some entire novels I've read published in the last few years. And it isn't a matter of Oates merely telling more "straight" stories. You Must Remember This has an almost biblical aspect to it - she changes literary modes, voices of address, syntax and punctuation style themselves change from character to character and depending on their moods.

The ending was completely surprising and out of left field and somehow managed to tie up every loose end that you realized she deliberately let slip out over the course of her telling of the story.

It's better for many more reasons than this - the characters of Enid Maria and Felix Stevick, and Warren Stevick too, are complete accomplishments, and the weaving of history into their daily lives was so impressive. But I just like when I can tell an author put work into their work. It feels like a sign of respect to their readers' intelligence.

Whereas the ambiguous, gestural, deliberately withheld millennial style merely hopes you won't challenge it to reveal what it's actually trying to do and say. Or worse, say that ambiguity, irresolution, and frustration are *the point* of the work, they speak in some way to our generation's condition. Maybe some of us, I guess.

Anyway, a book like this one invites you to dive into the reading as much as Oates dove into the writing, and the result is an incalculably more enjoyable experience.

Sometimes I have a deep affection for JCO, and at other times, not quite as much. However, this particular work of hers I truly loved.

She is engaged in doing what she excels at, which is taking a family and completely disrupting it in the most fascinating way! There is an interesting Lolita-like plot that unfolds within the story.

Moreover, she cleverly aligns her family's 1950's narrative to parallel real-life events such as Ike and Nixon running against Adlai Stevenson for the presidency, the McCarthy "witch hunt," and the seedy backdrop of the small-time boxing world.

All in all, it is a great read. Nevertheless, I did find the ending a bit hastily put together. It felt as if some of the loose ends could have been tied up more neatly to provide a more satisfying conclusion. Despite this minor flaw, the overall story was captivating and held my attention from beginning to end.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys complex family dramas and historical fiction with a unique twist.

A Sprawling and Captivating Tale of Family in the 1950s

This is a beautifully written, sprawling, and intricately woven story that delves into the lives of a family in the 1950s. The narrative gracefully flows from one family member to another, with the main focus being on Enid and Felix. It was my first encounter with a book by Joyce Carol Oates, and I'm truly glad I took the plunge.

I was rather offended by those who claimed this novel failed to capture their attention and those who labeled it as "creepy." I firmly believe that those who said the latter completely missed the point. It's not creepy at all, despite the circumstances of Enid and Felix perhaps initially appearing that way. As you progress through the reading, you come to understand the depth of these characters. Because you become so intimately familiar with their lives, you no longer judge their choices so harshly. It's not creepy when you're immersed in their world, and while reading this book, I truly felt as if I was right there with them.

Oates does an amazing job of acquainting you with the circumstances. This is very much a book about love in all its manifestations - especially within a family and within love affairs. It explores how love alters throughout the years, how easily one can convince oneself that they're in love, and conversely, how one can completely shut it out if the need arises, among other things.

It was a rather long read, but it didn't feel that way. Admittedly, I skimmed a couple of pages here and there, especially in the middle when it was from Lyle's point of view. Sometimes those sections felt a bit drawn out. Mostly, I adored Enid's storyline and Felix's as well. I even found the boxing scenes quite interesting, though I never thought I would. (You'll definitely learn a thing or two about the intricacies of boxing when you read this.)

I would highly recommend "You Must Remember This." However, as with everything, approach it with an open mind. And if you expect an author to write a very long book about a family without documenting how messed up those family members' lives can get, then I guess you're in for a really boring read.

Disappointment. Messy. For a writer with so much knowledge in depicting the thoughts and lives of many people. Occasionally a strong portrayal but for the first time I experience a book by my favorite author as boring. I often put it aside and wished it would be read out loud someday. Because although I thought it was nagging, I still wanted to know the end. But actually I was only interested in Enid and Felix and finally started to just skim the end and the epilogue.

A JC Oates that I do NOT recommend. One of her early books. Published in 1987.

This book failed to live up to my expectations. The story seemed to lack a clear direction and the characters didn't fully engage me. Despite being a fan of JC Oates, this particular work left me feeling underwhelmed. I found myself constantly losing interest and having to force myself to continue reading. It's a shame because I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately, it didn't deliver. Maybe her later works are better, but based on this experience, I would think twice before recommending this book to others.

This wasn't an easy read.

Mainly because everyone in the story was so miserable with their lives.

However, despite the overall tone of misery, it wasn't incredibly engrossing and well-written.

There were moments when the writing did manage to draw me in, but those were few and far between.

Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to reading other books by Joyce Carol Oates.

She is a highly regarded author, and I'm sure there are other works of hers that will offer a different and more satisfying reading experience.

But for now, I need a rest from this kind of misery and intensity.

I need to read something that will lighten my mood and give my mind a break from the heavy themes and emotions of this book.

Maybe a lighthearted romance or a humorous mystery would be just the thing.

Whatever it is, I'm sure it will be a welcome change from the darkness of this particular read.

What kills this novel is that Joyce Carol Oates never achieves a consistent viewpoint about her characters.

It's not like STUDS LONIGAN by James T. Farrell, where the author openly hates the characters and is trying to shock the reader into social action.

Nor is it like LIE DOWN IN DARKNESS by William Styron, where the author loves the characters in spite of how hateful they are and how hopeless their lives have become.

In this novel, Oates seems to be unsure of how she feels about her characters, which makes it difficult for the reader to form a connection with them.

The story lacks a clear emotional center, and as a result, it falls flat.

I give it two stars because the boxing scenes are fairly exciting.

They are well-written and add a sense of energy to the otherwise lackluster narrative.

However, the good boxing scenes are not enough to save the novel from its overall flaws.

It's a shame, really, because Oates is a talented writer, but in this case, she没能 fully realize her vision.