Cardiff, by the Sea: Four Novellas of Suspense by Joyce Carol Oates







☆☆☆☆.25

All four novellas are vintage Joyce Carol Oates, classic literary fiction. These stories are perfect for a cold, rainy night or a Halloween read...I highly recommend them...and that cover is so beautiful and haunting. The theme here seems to be that males are predators and the females have had enough...how very timely.

Cardiff, by the Sea: ☆☆☆☆

This is the way a story should be...creepy, suspenseful and entertaining. I love everything about the novella...creepy house, weird relatives, bumps in the night. I could see it in my head happening in every chilling detail. Great story with great writing, excellent plot and characterization. I was completely immersed in this one.

Miao Dao: ☆☆☆☆☆

This story is narrated by 13 year old Mia. Her parents have divorced, her father has moved away and she is developing into a young lady. She is being bullied at school and becomes friends with a bunch of feral cats. Someone complains about the cats and they are removed but for one white kitten, that Mia rescues and takes home. I felt so bad for Mia as her story is so similar to my own. My heart was breaking for her. This story read like poetry and I loved it so much, maybe is it because I felt the connection but the story was so beautiful in it's sadness.

Phan-tomwise, 1972: ☆☆☆☆

I read this story in one sitting. Interesting characters with unusual motivations. I liked the style of writing and storyline and I was completly engaged through the end. Makes you think...does anyone ever really win in situations like these?

The Surviving Child: ☆☆☆☆

Fantastic story, and the characters instantly became alive to me through the author's writing, I felt emotionally connected with all of them, and at times wanted to shout at them, console them, encourage them but always felt part of them. A very dark and thought provoking tale, and a story that I would definitely read again.

Thank you NetGalley, Joyce Carol Oates and Grove Atlantic/Mysterious Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.

#CardiffbytheSea #NetGalley

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