Beautiful, atmospheric, dense and voicey. Highly recommended, especially for adults who once loved To Kill A Mockingbird.

This was the first book that I have read by Joyce Carol Oates - shocking, I know!
I really enjoyed her writing style. The subject itself, with the abuse and torment, was hard to read at times, but the book remained interesting and engaging, and I couldn't put it down. Would recommend.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

A solid novel from JCO which explores the lifelong ramifications of standing up for what you believe in.

My Life as a Rat follows Violet Rue Kerrigan, a young woman who at the age of 12, told what she knew about the crimes of her older brothers. Through a series of recalled memories, Violet contemplates her actions, what they have meant for her and for her family.

Exploring race, loyalty and family, this is another great novel from the most prolific of authors

A book that perfectly captures the zeitgeist. A challenging read that has hints of To Kill A Mockingbird and My Dark Vanessa

This was the first book I have read by Oates and it was different to most. It was raw and hard to read with some parts very graphic about the abuse the 'rat' endures. It follows a 12-year-old girl from a working-class tight-knit Irish Catholic family. The setting is South Niagara, New York during the 1990s. Her life as a "rat" begins after she accidentally slips to her school nurse that her two eldest teen brothers were involved in a racially motivated attack that left a male African American honor student dead. Another important piece of work for #metoo but hard to read nonetheless.

This is a riveting read: disturbing at times, and chilling - but ultimately giving hope and faith in the future. Oates is clearly appalled by the racism - and as much by the patriachy - in the world she describes, the south Niagara of the 1980s and 1990s, a world which should have known better than to permit the racial violence that twelve year old Violet Rue Kerrigan is immersed in - but a world which feels (tragically) still very pertinent and relevant to the current populist Trumpist politics we are living through.

Wonderful and compelling characters (even those who are awful are compelling and vivid), powerful message - a great read!

I have read a couple of JCO's books and each one has had a very different feel.
This one following an abused girl until her mid to late 20s. Almost wrote like a biography or memoir it tells the tale of what happens when the young girl breaks the tight family code.
I did enjoy the book, however it is very very bleak and also be warned that there is plenty of trigger warnings for many types of abuse.

I haven't read any of Joyce Carol Oates's stories beforehand, but this made me want to explore her writing further. It's haunting, Oates's writing is atmospheric and engaging and powerful to say the least.

This was a really interesting read. The book follows 12yo Violet Kerrigan through the fallout after a racist attack by her brothers on a black teenager in their school. It then follows her as she grows older, how she changes and the choice she makes.
I haven’t read any of the author’s previous work (a sin, I know) but I really, really liked her writing style. It’s simple and feels emotionally charged. She’s a master.
The story itself was... shocking, to say the least. But there’s the human core of Violet. I felt connected to her and her actions made sense even if I didn’t agree with her. I guess what I mean really is that she’s a well crafted character who I can empathise with.
I’m not sure if I’d read this again, just on account of it being kind of depressing, but will be on the lookout for more of the author’s work.

I hadn't read Joyce Carol Oates previously and struggled a little with the writing style at first. It's very distinctive. The story is heartbreaking and you can't help but feel for the narrator. A variety of heavy hitting themes are explored sensitively and realistically, including domestic and sexual abuse, criminal justice and the complexity of family. Having just finished I'm still not entirely sure how I felt about it. I neither loved nor hated it, but I suspect it will stay with me for some time.

Oates has a wonderfully understated way of grabbing a reader's attention, which isn't something I can underline strongly enough since I tend to have the reading habits of a caffeinated, Mexican jumping bean no matter how brilliant a book is. My Life as a Rat had my full focus after the first few pages.

Having read a number of the author's novels over the years, but barely scratching the surface given how prolific Oates is, I'd have to say this is easily the darkest novel written by her that I have come across. The subject matter is brutal and doesn't make for an easy, light read. While beginning in the 90's and into the next decade, the story is culturally relevant, to an extent, for today's chaotic times.

Overall, I did really enjoy the novel but at times it did feel as though there was unnecessary padding which wasn't needed.

Recommended.

With thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

This is a complicated book.
It’s as much about Violet Rue as it is about the men that abuse her and the women that allow this abuse to happen. Although the book takes place over a number of years, Violets lack of character growth is reflective of the cycles of abuse that she finds herself in, which I enjoyed as a narrative and structural choice. Moreover, the pieces of flash fiction that are interspaced between the longer chapters do well to add to the sense of growth for the other characters as well as accentuating how stunted Violet has become. This makes her decision at the end of the novel all the more cathartic for the reader.
However, The first 100 pages of this book were very difficult to get through as it lacked anything that would make the reader latch on to the characters and care about Violet (given this is a character-driven novel). Yet once the actual plot of the book got going and Violet began her journey I found the book to be very interesting. But I can say that sadly although I enjoyed the book overall if I hadn’t been intending to review the book and hadn’t been sent it by the publishers then I doubt I would have made it past that first chunk.
The relationships in this book lack the intimacy that a person would expect from a novel like this. There is sexual intimacy but no romantic chemistry for the most part which was a welcome change from what we normally see from books of this genre. And since Violet's loneliness blended well with this theme it is clear that Joyce Carol Oates had clear intentions of what she wanted to say with this book.
Having said that the theme of Racism that runs through this book is also controversial and I implore you to seek out a black reviewer to read about their opinions on its presentation.
Overall, this is an interesting character study on the effects of separation and abuse on a child and if those first 100 pages weren't so difficult to get through this would be a 5 Star read. I will certainly read another book by this author again.
⚠Trigger Warning: Paedophilia, Sexual Assault, Racism, Domestic Violence, Implied Animal Abuse⚠

I was sent this book as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review📔🎁

Joyce Carol Oates is one of the most prolific writers of our time. Her body of work is extraordinary and My Life as a Rat is a worthy addition to her canon.

Violet Rue Kerrigan is the youngest daughter of the Kerrigan family. Often ignored and left to her own devices in a large and busy household where loyalty and aggression are constants, Violet becomes adept at overhearing the conversations of her older brothers. This habit changes her life forever when an African American boy is brutally attacked and she overhears her brothers discussing how to dispose of the weapon. This sets in motion a chain of events where Violet is removed from the family home, her brothers sent to prison and Violet banished from the family. Living with her Aunt and Uncle, Violet must now navigate her way through a unforgiving world and make it out the other side.

This is an intense and at times brutal book. There’s no let up for Violet as she lurches from one trauma to another. I read a recent interview with the author where she said Violet is a survivor and she’s certainly put through the ringer in this book. As always Joyce Carol Oates’ character building is exemplary. I really got a feel for the atmosphere in the Kerrigan house. The atmosphere was unforgiving and harsh and the male members of the family give off a constant air of menace. Those not used to the author’s writing should be aware that the prose is very dense and at times intense but this is what I love about Oates’ work. If you fall in love with the writing as I’ve done with previous books of hers then be aware that there’s a huge back catalogue to delve into. I was really excited to see this book up as an ARC and delighted to get the chance to review it. A stunning work from one of the best authors around.

I received a ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair review.

JCO's writing was brilliant as always, and her take on the topics explored was really interesting (among other things: racism / family loyalty / gender & class) but sadly, the story never quite came together for me.

“I was twelve years old. This was the morning of the last day of my childhood.”
Violet Rue has always been her father’s favourite little girl. Just like her older sisters before, but not the brothers. The seventh of the children was loved beyond belief and treated differently. Jerome Kerrigan wasn’t an easy man, expecting his family to be obedient and to follow his orders. His education was strict and very clear. But then, one event changes everything. Her older brothers commit a cruel crime, killing a boy from the neighbourhood, a black boy. Violet Rue knows about it and she knows where the murder weapon is to be found. Keeping this secret is not really an option, but positioning herself against her family means that she has to life a life as a rat, a person who betrayed their closest.

I have read several novels written by Joyce Carol Oates and thus knew that she does not make it easy for her readers and demands a lot. Here, too, the book at times is hard to tolerate, the family situation is shocking and what the girl experiences – also after leaving the family – is merciless, just like reality sometimes is. A very strong narration that especially could convince me due to the tone of the young narrator who is torn between a childish naiveté and the need to grow-up and care for herself far too early.

It’s a novel about family bonds, family secrets, punishment, and all kinds of abuse. Powerfully Oates portrays how strong the core family members are sometimes linked and how the children and partners of abusive husbands sometimes keep silent just to secure their life. Violet knows as a young girl already what is right and what is wrong and that her decision to take the side of the victim will have severe consequences. But she – just like any child in a comparable situation – underestimates the hatred that people might show and how heartlessly her family is ready to cast her out.

A book not especially pleasurable to read but surely not to miss either.

It's always a big deal in my world when a new Joyce Carol Oates book is published, and once again I felt the usual mix of trepidation and anticipation, but did it live up to the hype or was much of it hyperbole? Try the former and much to my delight!

Once I had gotten started that was it I was hooked and turning the pages feverishly. Sometimes it's the subtle thrillers that have the biggest impact; I definitely felt that was the case here where the creeping sense of unease almost leapt off the pages and hung in the air surrounding me in a stifling sense of claustrophobia. This is a masterfully crafted, nuanced thriller of rare sophistication and with Oates's trademark prose.

I still strongly believe, as do many other readers, that although a prolific writer and master of many of the written forms that she is highly underrated. Recommended to those who appreciate smooth, classy crime thrillers that are beautifully written and which illustrate the reason why Oates has won so many prestigious awards for her literature. Unreservedly recommended. Many thanks to Fourth Estate for an ARC.

My thanks to Fourth Estate for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘My Life As A Rat’ by Joyce Carol Oates in exchange for an honest review.

Twenty-seven year old Violet Rue Kerrigan looks back on the last fifteen years of her life. She was the youngest of seven children born into a close knit Irish-Catholic family with strong links to their South Niagara community.

In 1991 at the age of twelve she is quite an innocent adoring her father and older brothers. However, one night she accidentally overhears a conversation that links two of her brothers to a terrible crime. She is deeply conflicted between her loyalty to her family and her innate sense of justice. As the title indicates her choice ultimately changes her life forever.

I came to this with very little knowledge of the plot details although I have read a number of Oates’ previous works and found each of them to be well written, intelligent, and compelling. It gave me confidence that this would prove a rewarding literary experience.

‘My Life as a Rat’ certainly was powerful; exploring themes of identity, community and family. Yet there are also darker issues linked to racism, misogyny, sexual abuse, and violence.

I have to admit that it was often very uncomfortable reading. Yet Oates’ writing elevates it beyond a catalogue of misery and abuses to a portrayal of a remarkable young woman, who meets the challenges she encounters with courage and optimism.

Given its strong characterisations, multiple layers, lyrical writing, and the serious issues explored, I expect that this will prove an excellent choice for reading groups. Certainly I would expect it to provide a lot of opportunity for discussion.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Joyce Carol Oats is a name that is always popping up so I thought it was about time I gave her a whirl.

This book is cleverly written, I actually had to Google if this was based on a true story as its written almost in the format of a memoir and it feels real. It felt a bit muddled, a bit repetitive, as if the main character was talking to you and had forgotten what their last sentence was, which at times was endearing, at others annoying. And these feelings were present during the whole of my reading, either I was annoyed at the book or endeared towards it.

I do have a bit of an issue with the ending, I felt it just stopped, but I can live with it, I can kind of see why it would end that way.

While this hasnt blown me away, I will remember this story, these characters. I've read this kind of subject matter before, the way this was written was quite unique for me which will make this book memorable.

I will read JCO again in the future but I'll go for her most raved about book, Zombie

There is no doubt that My Life as a Rat is a novel which will divide readers, largely because of its subject matter. But Joyce Carol Oates is an author who does not shy away from digging into the dark night of the human soul and how it might spill over onto those who are in close proximity of the person or persons possessing it. In this case it is how Violet Rue responds to what has happened that is at the heart of the story.

This is not an easy area in which to write, because it requires a deep understanding of the psychology of toxic relationships. My Life as a Rat examines the type of conditioning someone can undergo through constant exposure or trauma and how difficult this is to break if they do not have the advantage of possessing a wise mentor to guide them through life.

The lead up to the “betrayal” is as taut as any thriller, with the author squeezing and relaxing the narrative, as the train of events are initially related from a twelve-year-old’s perspective. Her growing anxiety after being traumatised by what she has seen is palpable, making for a disquieting narrative, because of the reader being placed in the position of an observer who can see it all go wrong and is powerless to help.

The seesaw of emotions between the horror of what Violet Rue has witnessed and her strength of loyalty, as well as the sense of belonging she feels towards her dysfunctional, but loving family, is powerfully written.

The events after the confession are very much part of someone trying to come to terms with the painful severance, against her will, from the anchor of her family. There is an uncomfortable sense of everything getting out of control as the sequence of events Violet Rue starts with her confession gather up pace like a runaway train. Even though her family is far from perfect, she had a deep connection to them and them with her. The loss of them is a terrible thing for someone so young to bear, particularly as Violet Rue has the burden of fracturing her family placed firmly on her shoulders.

Read from these perspectives added to the quality of the writing of My Life as a Rat, making the story ring true and provided a gruelling but worthwhile read to see whether Violet Rue is able to take back control of her life or sink under the weight of it all.