The Tattooed Girl: A Novel
by Joyce Carol Oates
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Book Summary Information
Author: Joyce Carol OatesEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-06-01
ISBN: 006053107X
Number of pages: 320
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Book Reviews of The Tattooed Girl: A Novel
Book Review: A clash of two cultures and two people. Intense, thought provoking and edgy.
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm a Joyce Carol Oates fan. Can't help it. Everything I ever read by this woman was intense, thought provoking and edgy. This 2003 novel is no exception.
Set in the author's familiar territory of upstate New York, this is the story of a clash of two individuals and two cultures. Joshua Siegl is a celebrated professor. His inherited wealth both protects and insulates him. He leads a reclusive life but his health is failing and he wants to hire an assistant.
Alma Busch is from a working class family in Pennsylvania and even though she is young, she has been used and mistreated by a long line of abusive men, the latest of which is Dmitri, a waiter in a café where Joshua Siegl goes to play chess. In her past, a gang of men once tattooed her just for the fun of it. One of the tattoos looks like a blemish on her check. And other tattoos are ugly cobwebs on her hands and neck. This young woman is also filled with hate. And now, it is all targeted towards Jews, even though she has never met any of them.
When Joshua Siegl hires Alma as his assistant, the stage is set for trouble.
Ms. Oates defines her characters well. Joshua Siegl has been so insulated that he is unaware of the young woman's hatred. And Alma is so blinded by hate that she is driven to acts of cruelty against him which includes tampering with his food, stealing items and boasting to her boyfriend about potentially murdering her benefactor.
I was saddened and disgusted by the story. But I was also fascinated. I just couldn't stop reading even though there were some parts that made me wince in horror. It didn't take me long to finish the book. The ending was sad, but inevitable. And also ultimately satisfying.
I know I will continue to be a Joyce Carol Oates fan. Though the years she has achieved a perfect mastery of her craft. I look forward to reading more of her books. But I know I will have to wait a while because I am always left disturbed and thoughtful and I can only handle that in small doses.
As far as The Tattooed Girl, however, I give it a high recommendation.
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