A story told with a scalpel, that's how I would describe Oates' narrative. I can't even imagine being in her shoes writing this book. If it has been a hard pill to swallow for me as a reader, I don't know how she could have done it by getting into the mind of this man, the protagonist of this story.

Chilling, hard, crude and without any censorship, we enter the mind of a psychopath, a sociopath, a manic-depressive, a madman, a truly sick person.

It's not even possible for me to describe what this book made me feel. It's pure crudeness, hearing in first person the justifications for the acts committed, his low, ugly, monstrous nature.

Nor is it a book that contains grotesque scenes, those that explain to you every last drop of blood. That's why I say that it's narrated with a scalpel. Oates' writing style is wonderful. Without being grotesque, she undoubtedly manages to make your hair stand on end.

No, it's not a horror book as one might imagine, with zombies, those living dead. No, this story is told by a murderer who intends to turn someone into a zombie to have them as his sexual slave, a sexual predator. I'm telling you this because it's already in the synopsis of the book, but I won't say more.

Would I recommend this book? Yes! But only if you have the stomach to enter the mind of a sexual psychopath, a man sick in many ways. It was very hard for me to finish it, not because it's a bad book, but because it's extraordinarily good and it reached my stomach, my skin, my conscience and awakened my worst nightmares.

Eh.

It's a decent read that is told from the perspective of a serial killer.

The author makes use of capital letters quite frequently to emphasize certain points or words.

However, after a while, this can become rather annoying.

It might have been more effective if the author had used other techniques to draw attention to important details.

Nevertheless, the story itself has some interesting aspects.

The insights into the mind of a serial killer are both fascinating and disturbing.

It makes the reader question the nature of evil and what could drive someone to commit such heinous acts.

Overall, it's an okay read, but the overuse of capital letters detracts from the experience to some extent.

This book truly made me angry. I am well aware that Joyce Carol Oates has a reputation for writing books that can make one feel in need of a shower, and I was okay with that. In fact, I even expected it. However, what I did not anticipate was for this book to be written in such a drivel-like manner.

Here is an excerpt.

"Twelve years old & in seventh grade & now I was wearing glasses & long-armed & skinny & hair sprouting under my arms & at my groin & their eyes sliding onto me & even the teachers & in gym class I refused to go through the shower refused to go naked moving through them & their cocks glistening & scratching their chests, bellies & some of them so muscular, so good-looking & laughing like apes not guessing except if seeing me & my eyes I couldn't keep still darting & swimming among them like minnows if seeing me they knew & their faces would harden with disgust QUEER QUEER QUENTIN'S QUEER & that time Dad charged upstairs to get me where I was doing homework in my room & yanked me by the arm & downstairs & into the garage & showed me the Body Builder magazines & the naked Ken-doll from the playground I'd brought back hidden behind stacks of old newspapers & he'd found his face splotched & furious & at that time Dad did wear a goatee like Dr. M_ K_'s & this too livid with outrage."

This was on page 38. This was the moment when I said "fuck this book." It was here that it took all my willpower not to throw this thing across the break-room to get it away from me.

I understand that Oates is writing from the perspective of a sociopath, but this writing style is extremely clunky. I have heard it said that writers should seldom use exclamation points to convey excitement in their writing, but rather let their writing itself convey the emotion they are aiming for. I believe the same principle should apply here. Instead of using this shorthand to show that the dude is crazy, Oates should have been able to convey that through regular writing. But that's just my opinion, as this book is highly praised (it won a Bram Stoker award and all). I simply think it's rubbish.

The other Oates book I have read was really well-structured, so I don't think she's a bad writer by any means. It's just that this experimental book failed for me. I couldn't get past the writing style to determine if the content was of any value. From what I did manage to glean, I don't think this book would have been to my taste.

This fairly wretched novel is JCO shooting dead boys in a barrel.

I don't know, it seems like taking the easy option to me. You take your Jeffrey Dahmer. You remember him, he was a lonely boy who wanted a gay sex pet to do his every bidding. He read a book on brain surgery and thought that if you drilled the right hole in a man's head, it would stop him from realizing you were a dangerous psycho and leaving. So he practiced on a few guys who unfortunately died, which was not Jeffrey's intention, but he was practicing. You can't get these things right the first time. Okay, okay, I know this hobby of Jeffrey's is probably politically incorrect, but he was a boy with problems.

Anyway, Joyce takes Jeffrey and renames him Quentin, rearranges a few details, adds plenty of stuff which wouldn't have got into the papers. Quentin does his DIY drilling, Quentin mucks about with his deceased boyfriends, Quentin gets in a towering rage with them because they die too quick and don't cooperate at all. Yes, a bit sick, true, but only .5 on the American Psycho scale. Then she writes the whole thing like it's Quentin's semiliterate journal full of VERY ANGRY CAPITALS and zany punctuation and endearing little hand drawings (how to drill your zombie correctly).

Now then, I've read "What I Lived For" and I know Joyce Carol Oates can write like a living goddess. So that means she can churn out this Zombie kind of stuff before she's finished her morning muesli. I think someone must have drilled a hole in Joyce's head.

This is perhaps as disturbing as it can be, while still being actually published by a publisher.

Zombie is somewhat reminiscent of The Collector, both in terms of the high-quality and quirky writing style and the theme. However, it lacks the pretense of civilization and decency.

The psycho point of view presented in Zombie is just so... Perfect! It offers a unique and chilling perspective that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

And having just read one other Oates book before, I truly had no idea that she was an author capable of writing something as intense and captivating as this. Her ability to create such a disturbing and engaging story is truly remarkable.

It makes me eager to explore more of her works and see what other surprises she has in store for readers.

Overall, Zombie is a must-read for those who enjoy dark and psychological thrillers. It will leave you with a sense of unease long after you've finished the last page.

In tutta sincerità, I truly believed that it was different. However, it turns out to be equally disturbing.

At first glance, I had high hopes and expectations. I thought it would bring something new and refreshing to the table. But as I delved deeper, I discovered that it was not as I had imagined.

The similarities to the previous situation are uncanny, and it makes me question whether there is any real change or progress. It is disheartening to see that despite my initial optimism, things have not turned out as I had hoped.

This realization has left me feeling rather uneasy and concerned. I wonder what the future holds and if we will ever be able to break free from this cycle of disappointment.

A novel that is read extremely quickly and is not appropriate for all audiences. It contains very brutal and macabre sexual and murder scenes. What's more, there are certain paragraphs that are incredibly long and lack punctuation marks, causing me to lose the thread on several occasions.

Nevertheless, it is a story that will surely appeal to those who have a passion for gore. The vivid and detailed descriptions of the violent and sexual acts are not for the faint of heart. However, for those who enjoy this type of genre, it may be a thrilling and engaging read.

Overall, while the novel has its flaws in terms of punctuation and readability, it manages to deliver a story that is both intense and captivating. It is a must-read for fans of gore and horror, but it should be approached with caution by those who are sensitive to such content.

"Profondamente disturbante" is a truly disturbing and thought-provoking phrase. It implies a level of depth and intensity that goes beyond the surface. When we encounter something that is profondamente disturbante, it has the power to shake us to our core and make us question our beliefs and values.

This could refer to a wide range of things, such as a disturbing news story, a violent act, or a deeply immoral behavior. It could also describe a feeling or emotion that we experience, such as fear, anxiety, or disgust.

The concept of profondamente disturbante reminds us that there are aspects of the world that are difficult to face and understand. It challenges us to look beyond the comfortable and the familiar and to confront the uncomfortable and the unknown.

In conclusion, profondamente disturbante is a powerful and evocative phrase that forces us to grapple with the darker side of human nature and the world around us.

It serves as a reminder that we must always be vigilant and strive to make a positive difference in the face of disturbing and challenging circumstances.

I wasn't expecting this kind of story, at least not with this title. It is told in the form of Quentin's personal diary, so we see the world through his eyes. The things he narrates generate repulsion and as the story progresses, it becomes more and more repulsive.

Quentin's account seems to be filled with dark and disturbing events. His perspective is one that is perhaps warped or influenced by some unknown factors. As we read on, we find ourselves drawn into a web of disgust and unease.

The way the story unfolds is like a slow descent into a pit of horror. Each new revelation adds to the sense of repulsion. We can't help but wonder what will happen next and how much worse it can get.

Despite the repulsiveness of the content, there is also a certain morbid curiosity that keeps us reading. We want to know what lies at the heart of Quentin's story and what has led him to experience and describe these things in such a way.

Did I really enjoy the book?

No.

Was it unpleasant?

Yes.

However, I still gave it 5 stars anyway.

Is there anything else?

Well, I'll give you Q_P_'s shopping list.

It includes Formaldehyde, Scouring powder, Liquid drain cleaner, Steel wool, Polaroid, Ice pick, Knives, Silver dentist pick, Bandages, Gauze, Mirror, and Specimens!

This list seems rather strange and perhaps a bit alarming.

One wonders what on earth Q_P_ plans to do with all these items.

It makes me curious and a bit cautious at the same time.

Maybe there's a story behind this shopping list that we don't know yet.

But for now, it remains a mystery.

Another Stoker Award-winning novel. As I mentioned, I'm reading the novels that have been published due to this award.

The curiosity has led me to this novel, which directly immerses you in a mind sick enough to cause a lot of repulsion. At the beginning, the style may seem confusing, at least to me. Since I had no context, and knowing what happens, I'm grateful. It has made me delve into the story from 0. Well, into the mind of a deeply sick character.

On the other hand, gradually uncovering all the setting has seemed like a delight to me. At some points, the rhythm can be seen as sluggish. The novel does deserve a chance.

It's important to note that this kind of story might not be for everyone, given its dark and disturbing nature. However, for those who enjoy exploring the depths of the human psyche and are not easily deterred by the grotesque, it can be a captivating read. The author has managed to create a world that is both terrifying and fascinating, making it a unique addition to the horror genre.

Overall, I would recommend this novel to fans of the Stoker Award and those who are looking for something different and challenging in their reading. It may not be an easy read, but it's definitely one that will stay with you long after you've finished it.

This is an extremely explicit book.

It contains content that can be truly disgusting and repulsive, making it a very difficult read for many.

The writing style employed in this book doesn't do it any favors either.

It may lack the finesse and elegance that would otherwise make the reading experience more palatable.

The author's choice of words and the way the story is presented can often leave the reader feeling uncomfortable and even averse to continuing.

Overall, this book is not one that would be recommended to those with a sensitive stomach or a preference for more refined literature.

It is a challenging and unappealing piece of work that may only be suitable for a very specific and niche audience.