The Falls: A Novel (P.S.)

published	August 1st 2005 by Harper Perennial
binding	Paperback
isbn	0060722290 (isbn13: 9780060722296)
ebook
pages	512
description	It is 1950 and, after a disastrous honeymoon night, Ariah Erskine's young husband throws himself into the roaring waters of Niagara Falls. Ariah, &quo...more [close] It is 1950 and, after a disastrous honeymoon night, Ariah Erskine's young husband throws himself into the roaring waters of Niagara Falls. Ariah, "the Widow Bride of the Falls," begins a relentless seven-day vigil in the mist, waiting for his body to be found. At her side is confirmed bachelor and pillar of the community Dirk Burnaby, who is unexpectedly drawn to her. What follows is a passionate love affair, marriage, and family -- a seemingly perfect existence. But tragedy soon takes over their lives, poisoning their halcyon years with distrust, greed, and murder. Set against the mythic-historic backdrop of Niagara Falls in the mid-twentieth century, this haunting exploration of the American family in crisis is a stunning achievement from "one of the great artistic forces of our time" (The Nation). This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more. [close]
date added	12-21-06 edit book

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Robert rated it:

09/10/07

Has a copy to sell/swap — Read in September, 2007

The Falls was my first ever Joyce Carol Oates novel. I've read a few of her stories over the years, though none of them particularly stand out in my mind. I have vague but admiring memories of what is probably her most famous short story, frequently anthologized, called "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" I know she's considered something of an icon in the fiction world, so I took that into this experience, expecting what's generally called "literary fiction," and exp...more The Falls was my first ever Joyce Carol Oates novel. I've read a few of her stories over the years, though none of them particularly stand out in my mind. I have vague but admiring memories of what is probably her most famous short story, frequently anthologized, called "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" I know she's considered something of an icon in the fiction world, so I took that into this experience, expecting what's generally called "literary fiction," and expecting it to be well done. How did it work out? I'd have to give The Falls a B-, as a novel (though I always shudder at the idea of critics, lazy dilettantes, essentially just readers willing to write a few opinionated words, grading the work of artists, who have gone to so much more trouble to actually create something). Why not a higher grade? Basically, I think The Falls has within it several good short stories, but that JCO is filling in the space between those with lots of material that not only doesn't feel very substantial, it's sometimes downright tedious. The best of the short stories in this novel, I think, is probably the one that opens it, about two people on their honeymoon: a shy, retiring, overly-intellectual minister's daughter and an overwrought, intense, overly-intellectual, closeted homosexual minister's son, roped into a loveless union by the harsh realities of social necessity. The problem with this really great story is that it's over just when you've gotten interested, and you're left wondering, What could the rest of all these unread pages possibly be about?

The second story in the novel is nearly as good, about an unlikely romance, but once that story hits the top of its narrative arc, we're sort of set adrift for long stretches of time, most of which are expressed as something more like the literary equivalent of "time passed." Eventually, the wobbly story tries to find some legs again with some historical turf: the Love Canal ecological disaster and the resulting legal cases. A not quite red herring of a romance simmers here, but seems to serve mainly as a distraction. This part of the book feels more like a thinly veiled essay about the machinery of society: how power and money can so easily collude to line the pockets of the already wealthy even (or maybe always) at the expense of the working class.

Finally, we move on to another generation of protagonists, and you sense JCO running out of steam here. If they were to be included at all, these children probably deserve to be in their own novel, rather than plugged into the ending of someone else's story. Their stories do seem interesting, but they never quite generate enough interest, particularly since the attention must now be split between three children of our original protagonists, and must continue to include material about the first generation, as well. There just isn't enough room left for everyone to get their just due, at least in the way that JCO has established already (where a single night and the following morning get 60 very detailed pages). The book has a very ragged feel to it as it draws to its conclusion, an ending that seems dictated more by the conventions of length of literary fiction than by the demands of the story itself, as if JCO realized, or was warned by her editor, We can't really go past 400 pages, so you'd better wrap things up and tack on an epilogue....less

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Alaina rated it:

07/11/08

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

I sometimes wonder, when I am rating a book a grade of a "C," why others rated it an "A." I definitely admire Joyce Carol Oates' writing style, having read "We Were the Mulvaney's" many years ago and having (unsuccessfully) used "Big Mouth and Ugly Girl" in my 10th grade book clubs. Here, I easily got lost in Oates' prose, yet I could not get into the implausible plot. OK, here goes: Uptight, prim, unlikable 29-year-old Ariah finally finds a husband, only...more I sometimes wonder, when I am rating a book a grade of a "C," why others rated it an "A." I definitely admire Joyce Carol Oates' writing style, having read "We Were the Mulvaney's" many years ago and having (unsuccessfully) used "Big Mouth and Ugly Girl" in my 10th grade book clubs. Here, I easily got lost in Oates' prose, yet I could not get into the implausible plot. OK, here goes: Uptight, prim, unlikable 29-year-old Ariah finally finds a husband, only he commits suicide in Niagara Falls, where they are honeymooning immediately after (accidentally, but then again, he is only a man) consummating their relationship on their wedding night! Immediately, Dirk Burnaby, a cute, successful businessman, is drawn to this "ugly, old-maid character" (paraphrasing) - OK… They elope and are married a month later (OK!). After downing lots of wine, Ariah realizes she is actually quite sexual, but then realizes she is pregnant - whose baby is it? 1st hubby's or 2nd? All clues lead to 1st. Blah, blah, blah...then the book suddenly shifts gears and becomes this "Erin Brockovich"-esque (also true story) lawsuit trial where he must decide between his chemically affected and poisoned clients and Ariah's petulant and immature behavior. See, I just didn't like Ariah, nor did Oates set us up to like her. Therefore, I kept wondering - "Who is the protagonist?" Is it Dirk, and then his children later in the 1970’s portions of the novel? I felt so bad for poor firstborn Chandler, whom Ariah emotionally abused throughout his childhood and manhood. After the whole lawsuit and subsequent Dirk-death, the P.O.V. shifts to the remaining children with new, oddball characters and plots introduced to tie the mess together. Who was the lady in black – a dream or part of the curse? Was Juliet mentally ill or was Dirk urging her from the grave to commit suicide? The problem was that by this point I had sort of lost interest in the novel, and sadly saw myself skimming through pages just to end it (it was a long one!) So, bottom line – Oates is a talented writer, but without a realistic plot or likable characters, here she lost me toward the last 1/3 of the book....less

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