them

by Joyce Carol Oates
them cover
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  • ID: 3058
  • Added: 2025-10-16
  • Updated: 2025-10-16
  • Reviews: 4
Reviews
librarything.com · Unknown · 2025-10-21
brutal 4.00

The novel 'them' by Joyce Carol Oates is a brutal and graphic portrayal of urban life in America, focusing on the Wendall family's struggles from 1937 to 1967. The story is told through the perspectives of Loretta, Jules, and Maureen, highlighting the harsh realities of poverty, violence, and the search for identity in a harsh environment.

Joyce Carol Oates' 'them' is a powerful and unflinching look at the harsh realities of urban life in America. The novel follows the Wendall family—Loretta, Jules, and Maureen—through three decades of struggle, violence, and the search for meaning in a brutal world. The story is told through the layered perspectives of each family member, providing a raw and intimate look at their lives. The novel is part of a trilogy that explores different settings within American society, with 'them' focusing on the urban environment. The characters are deeply flawed and often make poor choices, but their struggles are portrayed with a sense of realism that makes their experiences feel authentic. The novel's graphic brutality is a testament to the harshness of life in the poorest urban areas, and the characters' attempts to escape their circumstances often lead to further despair. The novel's themes of poverty, violence, and the search for identity are explored in depth, making 'them' a compelling and thought-provoking read.

Quick quotes

    The novel is set in Detroit and its environs and spans the years 1937 to 1967 — from Great Depression to racial unrest and riots.

    The novel is part of a trilogy that explores different settings within American society, with 'them' focusing on the urban environment.

    The characters are deeply flawed and often make poor choices, but their struggles are portrayed with a sense of realism that makes their experiences feel authentic.

encyclopedia.com · Unknown · 2025-10-21
brilliant 4.50

Them by Joyce Carol Oates is a beautifully written book that delves into the complex dynamics of a family affected by poverty, trauma, and the turbulent '60s. The novel explores how family secrets and generational sins shape behavior and relationships, offering a realistic portrayal of the era's impact on individuals and communities.

Them by Joyce Carol Oates is a compelling exploration of family dynamics and the enduring impact of generational trauma. Set against the backdrop of the turbulent '60s, the novel follows a young woman's struggle to rise above the poverty and trauma of her upbringing, shaped by an alcoholic father and a murderous brother. The story is a testament to Oates' ability to depict the raw reality of family life without resorting to melodrama. The protagonist's son, Jules, embodies the contradictions of the era, representing both the liberation and the darker aspects of the '60s. Oates masterfully illustrates how family secrets and past sins continue to influence behavior across generations, providing a nuanced look at how our actions are shaped by both nature and nurture. The novel is a powerful addition to Oates' extensive body of work and offers a fascinating glimpse into the complexities of family life and the broader societal changes of the '60s.

Quick quotes

    THEM is an example of Joyce Carol Oates at her best. It is a beautifully written book about a disturbing subject.

    The '60s, such a turbulent time in American history, has rarely been rendered in such realistic colors.

    Oates gives Jules, the protagonist's son, a frightening and seductive sexuality; he is the great taunter of the '60s, representing the liberation of the time while also exhibiting its evils.

bookreporter.com · Unknown · 2025-10-21
intriguing 3.50

The reviewer found Joyce Carol Oates' 'them' intriguing but somewhat uneven, with moments of lingering happiness followed by darker, more impactful events. The novel's exploration of poverty, family dynamics, and historical undercurrents was engaging, though some parts felt overly drawn out.

The reviewer was initially drawn to 'them' by its unique narrative structure and the promise of a character who invades the story as an alternative narrator. While they appreciated the novel's exploration of the Wendall family's struggles and the broader historical context, they found some sections, particularly the courtship scenes, to be overly lengthy. The reviewer noted that the moments of happiness in the story were often followed by darker, more harrowing events, which made the horror seem more profound. They were particularly interested in the family dynamics and the way poverty and other societal issues shaped the characters' lives. Despite some pacing issues, the reviewer found the novel compelling and thought-provoking, especially in its portrayal of a deeply dysfunctional family.

Quick quotes

    Given my taste for the gimmicky, I was looking forward to that.

    Parts of them seemed, at times, to go on a little too long.

    The horrors that they experience convince me, after all, of the truth of Webster’s opening quote.

yearsofreadingvoraciously.wordpress.com · Unknown · 2013-06-01
impressive 4.50

Joyce Carol Oates' 'Them' is a vehement, voluminous, and kaleidoscopic novel deeply rooted in social observation, focusing on the struggles of drifters and vagrants in Detroit. The novel is psychologically subtle and structurally unpredictable, with a strong flow of verbal and imaginative energy. The reviewer praises Oates' ability to create a world where things happen without clear explanations, and where emotions are superficial and violent.

Joyce Carol Oates' 'Them' is a powerful and immersive novel that delves into the lives of drifters and vagrants in Detroit. The reviewer highlights Oates' skill in creating a world where events unfold without clear causes, and emotions are fleeting and intense. The novel's strength lies in its psychological depth and structural unpredictability, which keeps the reader engaged. The reviewer also notes that Oates' prose is immediate and right-behind-the-eyeballs, making the narrative's logic unquestionable. The novel's focus on the 1967 Detroit riots adds a layer of historical context, and the characters' identification with 'them' rather than 'us' is a poignant commentary on societal alienation.

Quick quotes

    The best nightmares are retrospective rearrangements; one sees what one has gotten into only after one is already in it.

    Miss Oates is getting increasingly good at sneaking us into situations the full insanity of which explodes only after we're imaginatively committed to them.

    Nightmare is Miss Oates's vein, then; and nightmare admits few effects of distancing irony, no comforting perspectives.

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