Damn,

Joyce, I didn't know you rolled like that.

I mean, seriously, I had no idea. You always seemed so quiet and reserved on the surface, but now I see a whole new side of you. It's kind of shocking, actually. I wonder what else I don't know about you. Maybe there are more surprises waiting to be discovered. It makes me realize that you can never really judge a book by its cover. People are full of hidden depths and unexpected qualities. I guess this experience has taught me to be more open-minded and less quick to assume. From now on, I'll try to look beyond the obvious and get to know people on a deeper level. Who knows what else I might find out about Joyce and the other people in my life?

Che scrittura! This is the second book by Oates that I have read, and I love this writer more and more. It is a raw book that refers to that monster Jeffrey Dahmer. The story delves deep into the dark and disturbing mind of Dahmer, painting a vivid picture of his heinous crimes and the psychological turmoil that led him to commit them. Oates' writing is masterful, as she manages to bring this terrifying subject to life in a way that is both captivating and horrifying. The book is not for the faint of heart, but for those who are interested in true crime and the human psyche, it is a must-read. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a thought-provoking and intense read. 4.5

It is extremely difficult for anyone to describe it.

It is a book that you cannot put down, yet you are afraid to see what comes next. Perhaps this is also the reason why I read it so late (and always with company).

I haven't decided what ultimately made it so terrifying. Is it the narrative style used by the author or its authenticity? What it manages to achieve, however, is to make you feel as if you are inside a mind where evil reigns as a physiological state. A torture chamber from which you can only escape when you have read the very last page.

A small -fortunately- masterpiece of narrative technique.

Overall, this book is a unique and unforgettable reading experience that keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. It challenges your perceptions and forces you to confront the darker side of human nature. Despite its terrifying aspects, it also has a certain allure that draws you in and makes you want to keep reading. Whether you are a fan of horror or simply looking for a thought-provoking read, this book is definitely worth checking out.

This is the first book I have read by this author, and it definitely won't be the last.

At the beginning, it was a bit challenging to follow due to the verbal changes used by the narrator and the temporal jumps. However, once I got accustomed to them, I simply couldn't put the book down.

It has been extremely intriguing and interesting to read about the thoughts and sensations of a true psychopath.

The author's ability to vividly describe the inner workings of such a complex and disturbing mind is truly remarkable.

Each page draws you deeper into the story, making you question your own perceptions and beliefs.

I can't wait to explore more of this author's works and see what other captivating stories they have to offer.

Jeffrey Dahmer is immediately recognizable, despite his soft start as a good boy.

It's quite astonishing how such a seemingly ordinary beginning could lead to such a heinous end. The story of Jeffrey Dahmer is one that has fascinated and horrified people for decades.

I didn't check the number of pages initially, and I was rather disappointed that it was such a short account. I would have been more than willing to listen for several more hours.

There is so much more to his story that could have been explored in greater detail. His psychological state, the events that led to his transformation, and the impact of his actions on society are all aspects that deserve further examination.

Perhaps a more in-depth analysis would help us better understand the complex nature of human behavior and the potential for evil that lies within all of us.

Too too real! Like, omg! Did Oates really get this right? It's truly astonishing how accurately she seems to have captured the essence of the situation. Her portrayal is so vivid and detailed that it feels as if we are right there in the moment, experiencing it all ourselves. Every word she writes seems to hit the mark, making us question whether this is just a fictional account or if there is a grain of truth hidden within it. The way she describes the characters and their emotions is simply remarkable. We can't help but be drawn in and become completely invested in their stories. It's as if Oates has a magical touch that allows her to bring these fictional worlds to life in the most believable way.

Quentin, or rather Q_P_, has a desire: to turn a human being into his own personal zombie. Quentin is the black sheep of a well-off family, a maniacal predator guided by violent sexual behaviors. Joyce Carol Oates transports us directly into the disturbed vision of reality that Quentin lives day by day, in 181 pages of pure perversion told in the form of a diary that helped her win the Bram Stoker Award in 1995 as the best novel.

Zombi is structured in 57 short and thrilling chapters in the form of a macabre diary where Quentin describes to us his plans to create his own zombie. In an impactful and twisted way, without mercy or respite and even reaching almost sickening points, Joyce Carol Oates puts us in the shoes of a damaged mind. It is no longer just his depraved desires that instill terror, but rather Zombi manages to put the reader in the position that anyone around you could be a monster. Because Quentin, in front of the gallery, is just a young student and janitor who is redirecting his life. But we, as readers, know that this is not the case.

Q_P_ is constructed before us in such a way that we can feel the same as him. The degree of illness that plagues his mind, his Machiavellian plans, his uncontrollable desires and the twisted gears that move him. We can see how he obsesses over sudden things that he then forgets or devalues. Also, the degree of depersonalization that he suffers, referring to himself in his own diary in the first or a false third person. As he tends to use long sentences, use capital letters to reinforce words or alienation, projecting that perturbation to the reader and beyond.

Although Joyce Carol Oates shows us an unreliable narrator from the beginning, and we can think over and over again if what Quentin tells us is real, some of the passages are so highly immersive that they become true images of human cruelty. The feats of Quentin, freely based on the real-life serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer (The Milwaukee Cannibal), are explicit and never try to cover our eyes. However, we find something more in Zombi. Of course, a not-so-veiled criticism of the continuous disappearance of people that occurs in the US, many of the cases (as in Spain) still unresolved. More forcefully, a second reading, where Joyce Carol Oates exposes a sick and disturbed person from a well-off family, but hidden by the artificial shine of appearances and that famous American dream.

Extended review on the blog: https://boywithletters.blogspot.com/2...

A Ruthless and Captivating Character Study

A ruthless, blindingly-ugly, revealing character study of a sexual psychopath. Joyce Carol Oates has once again展示了 her remarkable writing skills with this intense and disturbing novella. I now officially forgive her for the tedium of "We Were the Mulvaneys". This book was all that Mulvaneys was NOT - brilliantly written, brave, and (maybe most importantly) brief.

After reading this book, it became clear to me that Quentin P is based at least loosely on real life serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, which adds an interesting historical perspective. However, I enjoyed reading this without any prior knowledge of that background. The voice of Quentin, the main character and freak-of-nature, is so strong and believable that I was immediately pulled into the story. We are privy to his journal, filled with capital letters and ampersands, as well as creepy drawings of eyes, ice picks, and even a do-it-yourself-lobotomy-diagram. His depraved desires to turn a human being into his own personal ZOMBIE are described in a shocking and twisted narrative.

Oates goes where few people would dare to go, sparing no one and presenting some parts that are almost too sick for even me to read. There is no safe place to rest in this novella, no respite, no mercy. But that is precisely where the brilliance lies. She captures the character's mind with razor sharp accuracy, brings you into his world for just as long as you can stand, and then sets you free. It is a disturbing and unforgettable read that will leave you with a sense of relief and gratitude for your own safe and sane existence.

Video Review: https://youtu.be/A__zjRscGMA

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3 Stars

Zombie is the solitary book penned by Joyce Carol Oates that I have delved into.

I relished the distinct style and perspective presented within this concise read.

Some individuals are promptly deterred by the deranged sociopathic viewpoint of Quentin, the main protagonist.

Nonetheless, I perceived him as somewhat juvenile and excessive, not overly perturbed by his demented acts of killing.

The manner in which Oates narrates this tale, stylizes it, and paces it is impeccably suited for this subject matter.

I commend the way she integrated punctuation and illustrations into this book, which mirror the mindset of Quentin.

There are certain graphic passages. The concepts of lobotomies and the creation of the perfect Zombie form the central theme of this book.

Although it is a rapid and distinctive read, I did not cherish it wholeheartedly. It merits high marks for style, but overall, it is merely average.

On August 3, 2024, at the State Palace in Rome, the first night of the "Filosofie sotto le stelle" festival was inaugurated, which is related to the International Congress of Philosophy organized by La Sapienza of Rome.

The city administration, in collaboration with La Sapienza, has thus organized these three nights of the "Filosofie sotto le stelle" festival on August 3, 5, and 6, 2024.

For the first night, with the theme of "ISPIRAZIONE" (Inspiration), the guest of honor was Joyce Carol Oates from Princeton University.

This eighty-six-year-old woman, with extremely smooth skin like that of a thirty-year-old, and with enviable clarity and depth of thought, charmed an audience of approximately nine hundred spectators.

And so I felt like reading her, and I started with "Zombie", one of her books that I have had on my list for years. By analogy and due to the affinity of the theme, this novel pairs well with the homonymous song by The Cranberries.

The protagonist is Quentin P_, a psychopathic serial killer who does not accept his homosexuality and who chooses his victims based on his sexual impulses.

The story is inspired by a real case that occurred in America, that of the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

Just one year after Dahmer's murder, which took place on November 28, 1994, in prison by the hand of another inmate, Joyce Carol Oates takes the story of the infamous Milwaukee murderer, necrophile, and cannibal to adapt it to her Quentin P_. "Zombie", in fact, was published in America in 1995 and for the first time in Italy by Marco Tropea Editore (in 2015, then, it will be republished by Il Saggiatore).

"It was five years ago that the idea of creating a ZOMBIE to use for my pleasure came to me, an idea like a lightning bolt that changed my life.

God! At certain unrepeatable moments, it seems to feel the electrical charges of the neurons in the prefrontal lobes that move and align in a new direction like iron filings attracted by a magnet."

Oates writes this story, choosing the perspective of the executioner: a disturbed mind of a man born into a good family.

A hard, disturbing novel that one cannot put down until one finishes it.

Jeffrey Dahmer's story is well-known to all, and even more so with the release of the series on Netflix. This novel is based on Dahmer, and like in the series, it is Q_P_ himself who narrates it to us in the first person.

The similarities to Dahmer are almost exact. If you have seen the series or know his story, you will be able to see it more clearly. His physical appearance, his attraction to boys, his apartment, his habits, and his need to have someone just for himself.

And this need leads Quentin to seek a solution. Some medical books on lobotomy give him the inspiration to have his own zombie. A submissive who will do whatever he wants, who will say "yes, master" to everything he proposes, someone to snuggle up with at night.

Being narrated in the first person, you read his thoughts, his motivations... how Quentin sees the world, how the world is for him, and how he is in relation to it. The chapters are quite short, and there are some interesting drawings. Not because they are great illustrations, but rather because they are in the right place and complement the raw story we have in our hands.

His parents, sister, and grandmother are always fighting for him to be okay, for him to have his studies, his house, his independence... or always bothering him as he thinks.

There are violent scenes that make your stomach turn, perhaps not so much because of what is told (which is also the case) but because of what is coming.