Michelle Naudé

I always love it when an author manages to successfully explore other characters and themes through the perspective of a child. Joyce Carol Oates does this skilfully. The protagonist Violet is twelve when the novel begins, and although her innocence is painfully apparent (which is crucial to the plot), she conveys enough information to the reader for us to piece together the motivations of the older characters as well as the role of cause-and-effect in her family's undoing. Although Violet can't make the connection between her father's dark power over her mother and brothers and her brothers' horrific crimes, it is clear to the reader why these young men are so quick to turn to violence. It's hard to empathize with them as the story is never told through their perspectives, but through Violet's narration it is at least understandable along the lines of basic psychology: the disempowered seek power by violating those weaker than them. The relationship between Violet and the man for whom she cleans, Metti, is a little clichéd (older, wealthy man exploiting the young, needy girl) but in fairness this type of relationship is a likelihood for someone as vulnerable as her. I appreciate that Oates didn't subject us to a succession of similar relationships ("White Oleander" style) and instead allowed Violet to grow from this experience and pursue a safer and healthier relationship afterwards. So saying that, how realistic and necessary was the subplot of the creepy uncle? We also weren't given enough motivation for why Violet kept returning to Sandman's house (the character's name is also a little too on-the-nose). The novel ending with reference to the dog was charming: still young and in need of a lot of healing, Violet isn't portrayed as miraculously healed but rather as seeking refuge in the small, beautiful things like the loyalty of a pet. I didn't really like Violet, not because she is a "rat" but because she seems a bit pale and undeveloped even at the end of the novel. It seemed like great swathes of her life passed without much incident, which for someone that traumatized seems unlikely. A good read but the type of novel that you'll forget you read.