Book: Babysitter
Author: Joyce Carol Oates
Reviewer’s Instagram: literariajournal
Photo Credit: literariajournal
Original Book Review
Review • Babysitter by Joyce Carol Oates
We are in Detroit, Michigan, between 1976 and 1977.
A serial killer, known as Babysitter, stalks the city, killing children, but only the unloved and undeserving ones (wtf?!), capturing their vulnerability in photographs before leaving their lifeless bodies to be discovered.
Then we meet Hannah Jarrett, a 39-year-old housewife, who shares a charmed life with her wealthy husband, Wes, and their two beautiful children, Conor and Katya, embodying the essence of the perfect upper-middle-class family.
However, Hannah harbors a secret: she encountered Y.K., a mysterious man whose dark allure draws her into a tumultuous relationship of passion and control, leaving her in a whirlwind of euphoria, fear, and despair.
Joyce Carol Oates weaves a suspenseful novel around a true crime story, highlighting the corruption, racism, and sexism endemic to American culture.
The writing is alienating and disturbing, keeping you in a constant state of anxiety and tension. It’s an uncomfortable read. It reminded me of On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel, another devastating and traumatic story.
Even though these are important books, very well written, relevant, and that shed light on the darkness in our world, they are not my favorite kind of reads. Or at least, I can’t read them very often, otherwise they increase my already existing state of constant anxiety.
The novel touches such powerful and still relevant themes: sexual assault, racism, class, and religion, the psychological impact of violence, and more.
I found it interesting that she delved deep into the role of women in the 70s, especially the white, rich, and privileged ones, who are trapped by their own privileges and in their golden castles, in what should be, on paper, the perfect life.
Also, Oates goes raw; she doesn’t leave out any detail, even the most crude and violent, so be prepared.
I thought several times while reading it about stopping and not finishing the book. But then, due to a combination of curiosity and appreciation for how it was written, I took courage and continued, managing to get to the end.
So please, check out the trigger warnings first!
