In the semi-rural area of Pennsylvania, there exists a romantic obsession within friendship, which is intertwined with contemporary art.

Oates' writing style in this context is short, concise, and yet somewhat opaque. It serves as a verbal analogue to the painterly style of one of the main characters, Shelia Trask.

Those who complain that this novel is not "realistic" are completely missing the essence. The story delves into the complex emotions and relationships that unfold in this unique setting.

The romantic obsession in friendship adds a layer of intensity and mystery, while the connection to contemporary art provides a backdrop of creativity and self-expression.

Oates masterfully weaves these elements together, creating a narrative that is both engaging and thought-provoking.

Rather than conforming to traditional notions of realism, the novel offers a unique perspective on human nature and the power of art to shape our experiences.

It invites readers to explore the depths of their own emotions and to question the boundaries of friendship and love.

Overall, this work by Oates is a captivating exploration of the human condition in a semi-rural Pennsylvania setting, where romance, art, and friendship collide.

This is the very first book that I have delved into by Joyce Carol Oates.

I have a faint recollection that I might have perused a short story penned by Oates previously, but never a full-fledged novel.

My feelings towards this book are rather mixed.

The characters and the web of relationships they are embroiled in are intense and highly emotional. There is a palpable and fluid tension that persists throughout the entire book, which I truly appreciated.

However, there are certain sections within the novel where the narrative seems to lose its momentum and slows down considerably. This is often due to being bogged down by needless and excessive descriptions.

Nevertheless, the ending was quite interesting. The events that unfold in the last 20 pages or so, leading up to the conclusion, are filled with suspense.

There is a sense of oppression - a kind of no-exit situation - within the relationship of the two main characters. And I really like how Oates resisted the temptation to go for a contrived and predictable ending.

Overall, it was an experience reading this book, with both its highs and lows.

This author truly confounds me.

She has the ability to pen the most beautiful and captivating passages that draw me in completely. It's as if I'm under a spell, unable to look away. But then, without warning, she'll drone on and on, or worse, assault my ears with such hideous prose that I feel like running away in terror.

In this book, we have the complex friendship between two women. One is a wealthy artist, and the other is a poor teacher. The discussions about art, architecture, and horses are all very lovely and beautifully written. It's a joy to read those parts.

However, there are also the terrible sections that make me wonder if the author is actually two people.

Despite this, I care deeply about the characters and am determined to stick around to discover their fate and extract the precious bits of beauty from the chaff.

I have a feeling that this book could have been a true diamond. The section at the end, in particular, felt very real and meaningful to me.

May all who read this be blessed. :)

I have a profound admiration for Joyce Carol Oates' writing. In this particular book, she delves into the lives of two women who forge an extremely close friendship. However, one of them becomes obsessively attached to the other.

Monica, a school teacher who is divorced, relocates to a rural area. It is at one of the social parties in this area that she encounters Sheila. Although Sheila may not possess great physical attractiveness, Monica finds herself inexplicably drawn to her. As the story progresses, Sheila grows increasingly close to Monica and even drops by her house unexpectedly.

When Monica eventually tires of the games Sheila plays, such as not answering the phone and shunning her, Sheila decides to show up unannounced at her door. Monica attempts to end this relationship, but Sheila persists in being there all the time.

I found the story to be truly intriguing. While I didn't have a great deal of affection for Sheila's character, as I believe she exploited Monica for her own less-than-noble purposes, I still thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The complex dynamics between the two women and the way Oates weaves the story kept me engaged from start to finish.

If Sheila Trask would have been a man, readers would have been forming into an angry mob to talk about the narcissism and one-sidedness of the relationship.

Of course, I personally think it still applies. It took me a while to realize that the title of this book is a perfect description of their relationship.

The dynamics between Sheila and the other party seem to be lopsided, with Sheila perhaps exhibiting traits that could be seen as narcissistic.

Her actions and behaviors might have been more harshly judged if she were male. However, regardless of gender, the nature of the relationship remains a topic of interest and analysis.

Readers can't help but wonder about the true nature of their connection and how it impacts both individuals.

The story seems to hold a mirror up to human relationships, highlighting the potential flaws and imbalances that can exist.

It makes one reflect on their own relationships and consider whether there are any similarities or lessons to be learned.

Overall, the situation involving Sheila Trask and the relationship in question offers a fascinating exploration of human nature and the complexities of interpersonal connections.

I bought this ugly little edition in 2011 for a whopping 200 Forints in an antique shop, and I don't even understand why. Maybe someone recommended it to me then, or maybe several people were reading it at that moment. Now, when I brought it up that this would be my last waiting list reduction book this year (and it really was, hurray, hurray), several people warily pointed out from Oatest that this might not be to my taste, but I can only disprove them. I liked it, in a strange, inexplicable way. It has a unique style that delves into the characters, the souls, in profound sayings, a friendship, an interesting relationship between the two women. Sheila Trask is really a unique character, but by the end, Monica Jensen can almost catch up to her.

Soon also on the blog.

JCO never fails to disappoint. It is truly a great book that captivates readers from start to finish.

The author's writing style is engaging and immersive, drawing you into a world filled with vivid characters and thrilling storylines.

Each page turn brings new surprises and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Whether you are a fan of mystery, romance, or adventure, this book has something for everyone.

It is a must-read for anyone looking for a great literary experience.

The characters are well-developed and relatable, making it easy to become emotionally invested in their lives.

The plot is full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Overall, JCO's book is a masterpiece that will leave you wanting more.

I highly recommend it to anyone who loves to read.

I've attempted on multiple occasions to read diverse JCO novels. However, after just a few pages, I've had to stop due to an intense sense of coldness. But this time, with great determination, I managed to read Solstice all the way to the last page. I was inspired by Judy's captivating review and her in-depth knowledge of 29 JCO novels.

Now I understand my previous aversion. Carol Oates writes with a kind of precision and refinement that one might envision in a watchmaker. I firmly believe she would make an outstanding lawyer because every word is utilized as a precision instrument, conveying the most exact, accurate, and necessary information at the most precisely perfect moment in the narrative. In other words, there is never any fluff, vagueness, filler, or padding. And I find this a bit disconcerting. I'm trying to recall that someone once wrote: 'perfection is a kind of horror' - it sounds very much like Henry James.

Early in the story, her artist, Sheila Trask, strongly conveys a sense of disdain for the entire world. She is tired and has tried everything there is to try in life. She frequently mentions suicide in her family and at one particular point, how - 'there is no great drama, it's just that one has had enough of the mill of life' - (my paraphrase as I'm not prepared to search the text for the exact words).

She meets Monica Jenson, a recent divorcee who has taken a job at the prestigious boy's Academy of Glenkill to teach English. Monica is presented as the direct opposite of Sheila. She is conventional, disconnected from herself not through any particular trauma but simply due to the average entitled values of an American \\"Golden Girl\\" - JCO's description, not mine. I did enjoy her references to the Pennsylvania and New Jersey towns and countryside. I spent a year and four months in this area, and although I think the critical places are inventions, she does mention several places I visited - New Hope, Philadelphia, Bucks County, etc. Carol Oates did, or perhaps still does, reside in Princeton, which I visited several times.

The story follows an intense romantic involvement between the two women, whereby Monica suffers greatly as she is deeply inhibited and resists any possibility that she is sexually attracted to Sheila. I thought JCO's recreation of that intense exposure that lovers feel towards each other in the early days of a relationship was utterly convincing. There is rivalry, that intense anxiety to please and present the best of oneself to the other, even to turn oneself inside out to meet or match their expectations. I think it's true that in love, one outgrows the personality one has been accustomed to. Shelia pulls Monica out of her blind, stunted growth. Monica has no idea why her marriage failed, even refuses to grieve the bitter reproach she feels towards her ex; basically, she has no idea of the conventions and controls she has grown up with. However, that doesn't mean Sheila isn't outrageous - constantly so - and uses other conventions - like the supreme artist suffering for her work, etc. But of the two, I preferred Sheila.

They undoubtedly represent extremes of American Types - what is possible or likely to be in this particular place and time. But instead of focusing on powerful men, JCO has played out the roles with women, which, for me, makes a delightful and subversive attack on the feminists who see themselves as evolved and superior. JCO, I think, insists on human types, and in this story, she gives both women plenty of rope - with which to hang themselves - as the saying goes.

Yes, the precision prose is there to save time, to get to the point, to demonstrate the \\"reality\\" of these characters. Yes, Carol Oates is supremely intelligent, artistic, and capable, but there is not a shred of warmth, charm, or softness in her style of storytelling. Just that last line from Sheila gives a glimpse of normality (kindness, real love perhaps) in her characters.

Did I enjoy this? Not really, but on an intellectual level, yes, I wholly admire what JCO set out to do. And yes, I liked her upending of the revered American Types - that brought a rather gloating satisfaction.

# JCOJunkies Book Club - January 2022

The JCOJunkies Book Club迎来了2022年1月。这个月，我们将聚焦于一本特别的书籍，它将带领我们进入一个充满奇幻与冒险的世界。

俱乐部的成员们都对本月的书籍充满期待。大家来自不同的背景，但都对阅读有着共同的热爱。在这个月里，我们将通过线上讨论和线下聚会的方式，分享自己对书中情节、人物和主题的理解与感悟。

除了阅读和讨论，我们还将举办一系列与书籍相关的活动。例如，邀请作者进行线上讲座，让我们更深入地了解他的创作思路和灵感来源。此外，我们还将组织一次读书心得分享会，让成员们有机会展示自己的才华和见解。

总之，JCOJunkies Book Club - January 2022将是一个充满乐趣和收获的月份。我们期待着与更多的阅读爱好者一起，共同探索书籍的魅力，分享阅读的快乐。

Really beautiful, really moving - Oates and her endings.

They are truly remarkable, being both so complete and yet so unfinished simultaneously. In this regard, Oates is somewhat of a master. Her work, like this one, is incredibly queer-coded without actually being queer, which is a characteristic of a lot of her writing. It offers a beautiful exploration of the perilous intensity and passion within a relationship between women.

It has been an extremely long time since I have felt so closely connected to the protagonist. Monica has firmly lodged herself in my mind, and I find myself being reminded of her every now and then. Sheila as well, she is developed so beautifully, being wild, loveable, and hateable all at once.

However, it should be noted that there are warnings for depictions of domestic abuse, sexual violence, abortion, and suicidal ideation in this work. These elements add a layer of complexity and darkness that cannot be ignored.

This early (1985) novel penned by Joyce Carol Oates offers a profound and chilling psychological exploration of the intense, dysfunctional friendship between two women.

It is just friendship, yet it skirts the edges of the erotic. Monica Jensen, 29 and newly divorced, is the newest English teacher at the Glenkill Academy for Boys, a prestigious Quaker school in bucolic Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She rents an old, rundown, and isolated five-bedroom farmhouse deep in the countryside. Monica immerses herself in her demanding, six-days-a-week job and in fixing up the house, hoping to forget her painful eight-year marriage that left a three-inch scar on her jaw.

At a crowded reception at the headmaster's residence, she encounters the reclusive and somewhat renowned artist Sheila Trask, 42. There is an instant spark of chemistry between them. Sheila, recently widowed and living on a vast estate, values her privacy and solitary existence above all else. However, Monica alters that as the two gradually become friends. Sheila may be sophisticated and wealthy, but she is also brash and mean-spirited, with an unstable and mercurial personality. She flirts with suicide, terrifying Monica. Monica, once considered the golden girl in her youth for her beauty and sexiness, is now meek, shy, and modest. She endures Sheila's unpredictable mood swings, which often include verbal abuse.

Their relationship teeters on the brink of danger and contains a cruelly obsessive element that scars and scares both women as they are each forced to confront their past. When something horrific befalls Monica while something wonderful happens to Sheila, it seems as if the two switch personalities - and this could have deadly consequences for one of them.

This is a wrenching, elegiac novel that is not easy to read due to its emotionally searing nature. The plot is minimal, and what little there is often gets mired down. Nevertheless, the novel is profound and brutally perceptive as it seriously examines women's place in the world circa the 1970s.

Still, the book can be tedious. Perhaps it would have been more effective as a short story rather than a full-length novel.

2.5 stars.

The book under review centers around two women, namely Monica Jensen and Sheila Trask. Their friendship undergoes a transformation from love to obsession.

I decided to pick up this book as the premise of love and obsession between two women sounded extremely compelling. However, as I delved into the story, I never truly became invested in it.

Contrary to my initial expectations, I did not find it as exciting as I had anticipated. In fact, I found the narrative to be rather boring.

Perhaps it was the pacing of the story or the way the characters were developed that failed to engage me.

Overall, while the concept had potential, the execution left much to be desired, resulting in a rather lackluster reading experience.