Dear book club friend,

Kara loaned this one to me at our last gathering.

Yesterday, I picked it up without any prior knowledge of its content. To my surprise, I quickly found myself getting drawn into the story. However, I wasn't entirely sure if I wanted to immerse myself in a narrative that delved deep into someone else's grief. This was especially the case since I had just finished "Please Look After Mom" by Shin Kyung-sook, which had nearly identical themes.

But I simply couldn't resist the beautiful writing, the vivid and real characters, and especially the main character, Nikki Eaton. So, between last night and this morning, I raced through the book and completed it.

Unlike Kyung-sook's book, where the missing mother So-Nyo seemed to be at the center of the story, in Oates' version, by the end, I was left with a stronger impression of the daughter, Nikki, rather than the mother, Gwen. Nikki's journey, her complex relationships with her mother and other family members, her regrets, her newfound realizations, and what she discovers about the traits she has inherited from her mother - all these elements made the story truly captivating.

Both books offer a beautiful and quite similar commentary on the meaning of being a daughter and a mother. However, Oates' version also provides a comprehensive exploration of what it means to be Nikki: to experience grief, to be afraid, to attempt to process emotions, to strive to move forward, all while living a life that is complicated, vulnerable, messy, and sexual. It's a story that truly makes you think and feel.

I truly desired to have a profound love for this book. The characters within it held a certain charm for me, and I was quite fond of the dynamic that existed between the sisters, despite the fact that it was rather strained at times.

The writing style, however, presented a bit of a challenge for me to adapt to. I am aware that the author penned this work during the year following the loss of her own mother, and there were indeed some passages that were exquisitely poetic. Nevertheless, when considering the book as a whole, it seemed as if there were numerous pages that led nowhere.

I believe that I would have much preferred to read something that was more personal and in a diary style, directly from JCO herself, chronicling her own journey through grief. The cause of Gwen's death in the book, along with the somewhat underdeveloped storyline involving Strabane, appeared to be a rather feeble attempt to transform what might have been a diary into a full-fledged novel.

All in all, I could not help but feel disappointed.

It’s been quite a while since I last delved into one of Ms Oates’ remarkable books. However, this particular title was completely new to me, and the captivating cover immediately caught my eye.

The author possesses a unique talent for drawing readers in. As she masterfully develops the characters, she brings them to life, fleshing out the story with great detail and dropping little morsels of information along the way. Nikki, the protagonist, discovers fascinating aspects of her mother’s life before marriage and children, uncovering a whole different side to her. The book chronicles a difficult year in Nikki’s life, and the reader is able to experience it right alongside her.

After reading this book, I have decided that I must make a conscious effort to seek out more of Joyce Carol Oates’ works. Her writing is truly engaging and thought-provoking, and I can’t wait to explore more of her literary creations.