Bello, crudo, incisivo.

It is a work that hits you right in the gut and causes pain.

The writing is masterful.

This is the first encounter with the brilliant author.

It is truly a remarkable piece that leaves a lasting impression.

The raw and incisive nature of it cuts deep and touches the core.

The author's skill in crafting such a powerful work is evident.

With a rating of 4.5⭐️, it is clear that this is a highly regarded piece.

Readers are sure to be captivated by its beauty and intensity.

It is a must-read for anyone who appreciates great literature.

Overall, it is a work that stands out for its unique style and profound impact.

Fluid narrative, a very dynamic read. It offers a dose of unfiltered reality.

Much is often talked about when it comes to rights, but very little is mentioned regarding responsibilities. No one can claim to be exempt from the possibility of suffering an attack. However, one can be aware enough to avoid making the worst decisions in succession, thereby minimizing risks.

Accepting a helping hand and allowing someone to escort you home does not in any way make you less of a woman. Empowerment does not magically activate a shield or make you completely immune.

This is because the real world can be truly horrible, and caution is indeed necessary. Nevertheless, if despite all the warnings and precautions, you still have the inclination to tempt fate...

DON'T DRAG YOUR CHILDREN ALONG WITH YOU. We must always be mindful of the well-being of our children and not expose them to unnecessary risks or dangerous situations. Their safety and security should always be our top priority.

Joyce's writing is essential. His talent is astonishing and he always demonstrates it. In this short yet indispensable novel full of emotions, he presumes the fiction in which we confuse ourselves with reality.

I am completely fascinated by the way Joyce has to denounce the aggressors and the failures of justice. It was a painful and rather uncomfortable story, yet it was completely reflective. The narration was fascinating and it is enjoyable in its entirety. Highly recommended.

Joyce's works have a unique charm that attracts readers. His writing style is complex and profound, requiring careful reading and thinking. In this novel, he skillfully weaves together various elements such as plot, character, and theme to create a vivid and realistic fictional world.

The story not only makes us feel the pain and injustice suffered by the characters but also makes us reflect on the social and moral issues behind it. It is a thought-provoking and moving work that leaves a deep impression on the reader.

Overall, Joyce's writing is a treasure worth exploring and savoring. His works have had a profound impact on the development of modern literature and continue to inspire generations of readers and writers.

What has convinced me:

- Joyce Carol Oates focuses on a reality: in a multiple rape, the victim will be questioned and undermined in the trial. This aspect really makes one think about the unfair treatment that victims often face in the legal system. It highlights the harsh truth that the justice system may not always work in favor of the victim.

- The idea that the only real justice does not come from the courts but from the law of retaliation is also quite thought-provoking. It challenges the traditional concept of justice and makes us consider alternative ways of seeking redress for wrongs.

What has not convinced me:

- Due to its brevity, it does not delve deeply into the characters. We don't get to know the victims and the perpetrators as well as we might like, which makes it a bit difficult to fully understand their motives and actions.

- That subtitle of the title, in my opinion, is superfluous. It is not explained and seems to be a cheap sensation. It doesn't add anything meaningful to the story and actually detracts from it a bit.

- The editing needs an orthographic review. There are some spelling and grammar mistakes that could be easily corrected to improve the overall quality of the text.

Would I recommend it? Yes, without a doubt. Despite its flaws, it still manages to raise important issues and make the reader think. It is a short but powerful piece that is definitely worth reading.

Good writing!

However, it is one of the saddest books I have ever read.

The story is so touching and heart-wrenching that my heart aches.

Every word seems to carry a heavy weight, pulling at my emotions.

The author has done an excellent job of creating a vivid and immersive world, filled with complex characters and their struggles.

As I turned the pages, I couldn't help but be drawn into their lives, sharing their joys and sorrows.

Despite the sadness, there is also a glimmer of hope and beauty in the story.

It makes me reflect on the human condition and the power of love and perseverance.

This book is truly a masterpiece that will stay with me for a long time.

There is something truly astonishing in this prose.

It has the power to captivate the reader from the very first sentence.

The words seem to dance on the page, creating vivid images and emotions.

The author's use of language is masterful, with every word carefully chosen to convey the intended meaning.

The prose flows smoothly, like a gentle river, carrying the reader along on its journey.

It is not just a collection of words, but a work of art that touches the heart and soul.

Whether it is a description of a beautiful landscape or an exploration of a complex emotion, the prose manages to bring the subject to life in a way that is both engaging and thought-provoking.

Overall, there is something truly special about this prose that makes it a joy to read and a memorable experience.

Rape: a love story is the original title. The Metaichmio editions, in their otherwise tasteful publication, thought it appropriate to shorten the full title of the book and keep what suited them best. So, 'The Assault'. Just like that. These are the things regarding the cover, and let's move on to the content.

It's a tough book. It tells - without melodrama - the case of the gang rape of Martin (Tina) Maguire in the parking lot of a park in the city of Niagara Falls, in the early morning hours of July 4th, 1996, while she was returning home with her twelve-year-old daughter, Beth (Bethie) Maguire. This bestial act by several masked assailants brought Tina to a semi-conscious state, on the verge of bleeding to death, and Bethie, violently and abruptly, from childhood to adulthood.

There were moments in the book that strongly reminded me of The Accused by Jonathan Kaplan. However, in Oates' book, it's not the courtroom that will punish the guilty, but someone who took the law into his own hands.

I have a complex and often conflicted love/hate relationship with JCO. On one hand, she is an undeniably brilliant writer, and I hold her in high regard. Her books can be truly captivating, with an intensity and a chilling insight that can leave me completely blown away. The way she crafts her stories and delves into the human psyche is truly remarkable.

On the other hand, there are times when I find her works to be unnecessarily cruel, mean, and overly dramatic. It's as if she goes to extremes just for the sake of it. But then again, she is a master of her craft and can write in any genre with great skill. In fact, in one of her short story collections, she managed to create a brilliant and complete short story in just one page.

The title of this particular book immediately grabbed my attention. The combination of the words "rape" and "love story" in the same title seemed almost impossible to me. How could such disparate concepts be combined into a single narrative?

However, as I delved into the book, I was shocked to discover that it was packed with terror, panic, surprises, heartache, and a scathing critique of the "justice" system. Strangely enough, it also managed to explore the theme of love in a most unexpected and surprising way. Despite its short length, this book packs a powerful punch and is well worth the read.

The thing has already started regularly. Each page seems to want to denounce all the cheesy clichés that exist regarding the “responsibility” that women have in their own violation. You know:

\\n  “That woman, but what was she expecting? She was asking for it loudly, that slut. Dressed like a whore. It's her word against theirs. Who knows what happened in that park in the middle of the night!” \\n

Later I reconciled a bit with the author when I started to see that she didn't focus morbidly on the act of the violation but rather on the consequences, on the anguish of the victims and the environment that is created around them in a small town where everyone knows each other and where they have to continue living, constantly running into friends, neighbors, cousins or brothers of the rapists, where the press feasts on the scandal and on sowing suspicions by manipulating public opinion, where justice can depend on the skill of an unscrupulous lawyer and the outdated ideology of a judge. At this moment the narration grabs you by the anger, by the indignation, by the uncertainty in the result of justice, although in no case can it already compensate for the damage done to the victims.

The narration is very short, very telegraphic, it doesn't go into the analysis of characters, of circumstances, of motives, although it is very effective in provoking the irritation of the reader to, and this is what has outraged me and the reason why I only give it a couple of stars, then give him the worst of satisfactions, justifying the unjustifiable, however desirable it may be at an individual level.

A tough, yet realistic card. Sad things that happen. Justice that sometimes steps aside and people who are supposed to uphold the law but have the power to intervene on their own when justice is not served.

A mother who was walking home in the early hours of July 4th to 5th with her 12-year-old daughter. True, the mother is dressed simply and may seem to have an inappropriate attitude, and some more conservative people might say she asked for it. Because Teena is attacked and raped by several men, all in the presence of her daughter.

She escapes with her life, but only to live with the hatred of the community. She is transformed from a victim to an instigator. How else should a beautiful woman, widowed for a few years, who has had several relationships since then and who allows herself to walk through a park at night dressed in shorts, a shirt, and high-heeled sandals be seen?

While it outraged me in the first half, it disgusted me to the core until the end.