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Title: Suicide Inducing
Review: This book is one of the most depressing novels I have ever read. Yes, it is very well written. Oates is a masterful story teller. But the main characters, the Mulvaneys, (with the exception of Marianne) are the most self-absorbed, shallow, deluded and cruel family members you could ever meet. Their actions are inexplicable and unforgivable. Possibly most annoying, the epilogue is so different from the rest of the book and so out of character for this family that it has the tacked-on feel of a bad Hollywood ending. It would have been much more realistic if the book had ended with the episode before the epilogue. If you need to be convinced that life is a dark lonely place and that you can't depend on anyone, including your closet friends and family, this book is for you. If you need a reason to commit suicide, this book could be it. Otherwise, steer clear of the Mulvaneys.
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