The Gravedigger's Daughter discussion

I was left mystified by the end of this book. There were so many loose ends unresolved and I expected the main character to have a more defined or full-circle experience by the end.

I agree. It seemed abrupt to me. The only thing I can come up with as a reason for ending that way was to portray Rebecca/Hazel's vulnerability, and how it came out only in her correspondence to Frieda. IT was interesting to see how different the tone of Rebecca's letters sounded in relation to the way she acted as Hazel. Did she see Rebecca as the "weaker" part of her that must be hidden behind Hazel? She couldn't even reveal that to her husband, but with Frieda she could share the things she had been pushing down her whole life. The shared experience the two had I guess made it possible for them to open up with each other. I have not read any other Joyce Carol Oates, so I don't know if it is her style to leave a lot of things up to the reader. In a way it is interesting to let us imagine whether they met up and what that would bring. I didn't think the whole book was disappointing, I loved the writing style...however the ending was a bit disconcerting.

I think a lot of the story came out of the blue and the ending was maybe just the most obvious because the form also changed. For example, where did she get those amazing parenting skills after what she had to model it on? Where'd she get all the money to buy those beautiful clothes as a sales clerk? Many of her "blessings" were just too good to be true.

I wondered whether Oates couldn't have cut about half of the story and ended up with something more compelling.

I literally just finished it, and I feel the same way. Disappointed, a bit tricked? The ending seemed haphazard and didn't really fulfill anything (no deeper sense of the story or characters etc.) She talked about her "husband" in the letters with Freyda, and while I assumed it was still Chet Gallagher, it's still confusing to me. Also, I guess the letters with Freyda was Rebecca's way of dealing with her past and all, but it saddens me that her character didn't really develop much with Mr. Gallagher. When she went into being "Hazel Jones" (and Hazel Gallagher, whom she "still" impersonates) she locked away a big part of herself.

I guess I just felt for this miserable woman, somehow, and am shocked that Oates didn't give her more of a chance to redeem herself, conquer her fear of men etc.

I too was surprised by the way this book was written. I don't mind strange endings but many characters were not given closure to. There were many errors in the book which I thought was shocking for a big time author. If I had made them I would never have been published. I would have also have liked to know the purpose of the letters in the back, I wasn't clear the correlation to the book. I read this several years ago but I am still feeling it, which also shows how good it was.

The Gravedigger's Daughter was hard for to get into. At the beginning of the book as the narrator tells of Rebecca's origins and reality, the narrative is broken, fragmented, angry and crazy to follow, but I think Oates is trying to help us to understand the lens through which Rebecca sees her existence as a child. As she matures the narrative takes a evened style that is easier to read; I think this is the mastery that Oates brings to her storytelling.
For me the narrator becomes a reflection of the main character in a way that is essential for the reader's understanding of the story and Rebecca.
It is only in the epilogue that we see the real Rebecca where she is the that little girl who was forever searching for her real family and had only ever played the part that was essential for her and her son's well being. Though I found the abrupt ending hard to resolve in my mind, I do think that was the point.

I don't know what to think about this book because while I was reading it I ended up finding it less interesting than all of the other books by this author I had read and loved, but eventually I remember it very well, like Jeannine said. What strikes me all the time in Oate's books is that life is a struggle and only a struggle for the characters. It can be painful to read on 600 pages, how hard life is, how unfair it looks. And sometimes, when their quest is thrilling, it works perfecly (in Blonde it's just powerful), but sometimes the story doesn't quite follow. I didn't think the story was worth the struggle in a way.

I read this book with a feeling of anguish all the time... but read it to the end...Interesting but not captivating

It certainly is not my favorite by Oates but she is such a good writer even her worst is worth the time.