Little Bird of Heaven by Joyce Carol Oates

Jump to Comments

I wish Joyce Carol Oates would choose happier topics for her books (here and here). I love her writing but why are all the books so very dark? Little Bird of Heavenis the story of a girl whose father is suspected of murdering his mistress, a crime he did not commit, but the town’s suspicion (as well as his wife’s understandingly negative reaction at this unannounced breach of their marriage contract) pushes him away and into a life of poverty and alcoholism. Yet, his daughter loves him, misses him, and snatches moments with him when she can. He is a good dad, if not a good husband.

In addition to the sad abandonment story there are uncomfortable descriptions of the blunt racism against the local Native Americans and the widespread meth problems. All that blended with spot-on observations, from the thirteen-year old girl stared at by a man, who will not look back (smart kid), to the “crewcut of metal shavings” of a prison guard, to the hasty toilette of the drunk heroine who will not use the perfectly clean white towels of the hotel room.

Great book but really sad.

Leave a Comment

Filed under New fiction

Tags: families, fathers