The Falls
A Novel

By Joyce Carol Oates
Read by Anna Fields

     Oates brings us a novel set in the 1950s. The characters aren’t unique, nor are their stories, but to experience them the way Oates’ writes, they seem as if they are. Ariah changes from a sympathetic character when her first husband jumps into the Falls to a disappointing one as she finds bliss, yet becomes intensely selfish. The man who gives her all this bliss is the womanizing, gambling lawyer, Dirk Burnaby. Dirk takes care of Ariah after her husband’s suicide. He eventually proposes marriage. The parents do not take it well. The in-law clashes play out, adding tension to the story line. Where Ariah becomes less likeable, Dirk seeks redemption through a case he accepts. The continued hope here is that they survive and find bliss once again.

    Oates’s prose is distinctive and sometimes verbose. Teachers of literature love it, and I’m sure they will appreciate this novel, as they have her past work. In The Falls, Oates spins a web of tangled lives and erotic scenes, leading the readers on a journey of inner chaos and possible redemption. The characters and the conclusion will garner various reactions. Without a doubt, Oates fans will lap this one up.

   The audio book is read by Anna Fields. Listening to her voice reminds me of Oates. Her soft, old-fashioned tone gives this 50s era novel a Victorian feel. As I listened to Ariah’s words spoken aloud, I had to remind myself she was living in the 1950s and onward--a time of industrial and marketing change. It’s a notable listen. It’s also an intensely mature listen, so remember those headphones.