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slvrdragon1090's review against another edition
1.0
Couldn't even finish this. The writing was impossible for me to follow and not even the darkness of the storyline was enough to keep my interest.
secre's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Daddy Love is an undeniably creepy and horrifying novel focussing in on every parents worst nightmare; their child being kidnapped by a predator. Joyce Carol Oates is well known for covering some taboo and horrifying topics in her novels, and this is no exception. It absolutely isn't going to be a book for everyone; it covers physical, sexual, emotional and verbal abuse. It explores how the victim of the abuse can become so inured to it, that they don't dare speak of it to others. It ticks down like a time bomb to the age when the kidnapped child grows too old for Daddy Love.
The opening chapters repeat the initial abduction in various ways and the initial focus is on the mother; her injuries, her terror, her desire to be re-united with her child. From there the focus shifts to her son. Once Robbie, now re-named Gideon by Daddy Love. Oates presents the abuses on display matter of factly, and I absolutely have to give credit for how she doesn't linger on them like torture porn. The reader is very aware of the abuses at hand, yet Oates never lingers, never plays it up. It happens and more time is spent on Gideon's responses to this, how he grows and reacts outside of Daddy Loves abuse.
I would have liked to see more of Dinah and her husband in their search for their missing child. For much of the novel, they are completely side-lined and I think it would have both been more powerful and been able to cut through some of the misery of the abuse if they had interlude chapters more frequently. It would have been possible to slot them in as Oates moves the years on. And yes, it would have undoubtedly been miserable in a different way, but it would have meant that both sides of the tale were evenly handled. Whereas as it stands, the parents get forgotten about other than at the beginning and end of the novel.
All in all, bleak, depressing and frankly horrifying. It felt like there was something missing, which could perhaps have been more of a spotlight on the parents as well as on Daddy Love and his latest child. It's not going to be a book for everyone, but that could be said for many of Oates novels. Take it at your own risk, as there trigger factors all over this novel.
The opening chapters repeat the initial abduction in various ways and the initial focus is on the mother; her injuries, her terror, her desire to be re-united with her child. From there the focus shifts to her son. Once Robbie, now re-named Gideon by Daddy Love. Oates presents the abuses on display matter of factly, and I absolutely have to give credit for how she doesn't linger on them like torture porn. The reader is very aware of the abuses at hand, yet Oates never lingers, never plays it up. It happens and more time is spent on Gideon's responses to this, how he grows and reacts outside of Daddy Loves abuse.
I would have liked to see more of Dinah and her husband in their search for their missing child. For much of the novel, they are completely side-lined and I think it would have both been more powerful and been able to cut through some of the misery of the abuse if they had interlude chapters more frequently. It would have been possible to slot them in as Oates moves the years on. And yes, it would have undoubtedly been miserable in a different way, but it would have meant that both sides of the tale were evenly handled. Whereas as it stands, the parents get forgotten about other than at the beginning and end of the novel.
All in all, bleak, depressing and frankly horrifying. It felt like there was something missing, which could perhaps have been more of a spotlight on the parents as well as on Daddy Love and his latest child. It's not going to be a book for everyone, but that could be said for many of Oates novels. Take it at your own risk, as there trigger factors all over this novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Child abuse, Rape, Kidnapping, and Torture
theboldbookworm's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 The repetitive chapters in the beginning almost made me put this book down. I got through those and kept reading though. This is a tough subject, but the book wasn't overly graphic. I think it might be loosely based on the Steven Stayner case. It's a very disturbing read and you should stay away from it if you can't handle child abuse.
elwhits's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
dethklok1985's review against another edition
4.0
I would have given it a 5 star, but what the hell was that ending??
paperwitch's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 • Well to say this book is fucked up and disturbing doesn’t do it justice.
This story is not for everyone, the subject is very dark and not one I read about at all.
I also had some issues with the writing and the constant repetitive statements throughout. The execution was poor and hastily done. The story itself didn’t have an actual point and it just felt like a draft.
Overall I’d stay away from this one, it was just not brightly executed.
This story is not for everyone, the subject is very dark and not one I read about at all.
I also had some issues with the writing and the constant repetitive statements throughout. The execution was poor and hastily done. The story itself didn’t have an actual point and it just felt like a draft.
Overall I’d stay away from this one, it was just not brightly executed.
mmc6661's review against another edition
1.0
once again I tried reading Oates and once again I struggled through it to the point that I skimmed it to the end to see if it had any redeeming qualities. A harsh and sad book.