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Little Bird of Heaven

by Joyce Carol Oates

     

I have been a long-time fan of Joyce Carol Oates. You won't find any series or repeat characters here. No two of her books are anything alike, but each gives you an emotional story with complicated themes and characters who engage your mind long after you have turned the last page.

At the core of this story is the unsolved murder of a young woman in a small town in New York. This isn't a murder mystery in the strictest sense, but rather the story of the relationships between the suspects and their children, and how tragedy affects everyone involved. There is Krista, who narrates the first part of the story. She idealizes her father, and is certain that he could not have killed Zoe Kruller, even though suspicion breaks up her parents' marriage and puts her life in turmoil. Krista's father was having an affair with Zoe, and may have been the last person to see her alive.

Then Krista fancies that she may be in love with Aaron, the son of the murder victim and her estranged husband who is also a suspect in her killing.  Aaron is a few years older than Krista. Although they attend the same school, they are strangers; but when Krista is the victim of a near rape, Aaron rescues her.

The second part of the book is narrated by Aaron, who had the traumatic misfortune of discovering his murdered mother's body. Though he never openly shows it, he is infatuated with  Krista.  There are underlying themes of drug and alcohol addictions, love and loss, prejudice and injustice, all of which affect the emotions of the characters. Both Krista and Aaron must deal with the confusion of loving both the murder victim and their fathers, and the resulting feelings of guilt.

Though some of the story appears at first glance to be a repeat, it isn't really, because you always gain new views from the differences. Oates writes with brilliant insight into the minds of characters who struggle with conflicted emotions.  Little Bird of Heaven is not a light read, but rather an engaging, thought provoking journey. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.

The Book

Ecco / HarperCollins
September 15, 2009
Hardcover
0061829838 / 978-0061829833
Fiction / General
More at Amazon.com
Excerpt
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The Reviewer

Beverly J. Rowe
Reviewed 2010
NOTE: Reviewer Beverly J. Rowe is Myshelf.com's "Babes to Teens" columnist, covering topics related to reading ideas for the youth in the family.
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