Review: We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates

I'd like to start out by saying that as usual, I try to read my books during my lunch break. Generally, every time I try this, I just don't get into the book as much. I don't know why this happens, I just can't seem to concentrate half the time. It could possibly be because this is a more serious book and other books are more "easy reading", who knows? So this review may be this way because I couldn't concentrate.

I thought the book was very well written, but I just never really, "got into it". It took all I had to finish it and I often found myself skimming pages and just trying to get through the book.

The book is about the Mulvaney family. They live in New York and they live on a farm. The man of the house is Michael Mulvaney. He owns a roofing company and is a member of the Country Club. There is Corinne, a mother of 4, who loves antiques and even owns a store but can't seem to part with them because she loves and forms bonds with every single piece of delapitated furniture she buys. There is Michael "Mule" Mulvaney, Jr. who has already graduated high school and is living at home. There is Patrick "Pinch" Mulvaney who is the valedictorian, very smart and very serious. Then there is Marianne "Muffin" Mulvaney. She is very popular and very Christian, very giving and always puts others first instead of herself. Lastly, there is Judd "Ranger" Mulvaney. He is the youngest and is often the narrator of the book. Everything you see if mostly through the eyes of a child who views everyone as their hero and looks up to his brothers and sister.

A tragic thing happens to Marianne and tears the family apart. The whole book centers around about a 10-15 year span and all that happens after the incident between the family members. I really thought it was a realistic portrail of the inside of a family. No one knows how a family gets through a trying time, no one knows why some families break apart, except for the family members.

It was a long book and very tedious to read for me. Like I said, I just couldn't get into it. There were times when it was easier to read and easier to get into and then after a chapter or two, I would lose interest. But I'm glad Joyce decided to keep going with the story. There were many points that the book could have just ended and left you wondering if the family ever picked up the pieces and moved on or reunited...but Joyce continued writing to let you have a sort of "happy ending".

All in all, I'd recommend this book to people who have time to dedicate to it. It was extremely well written.