Pursuit

De: Joyce Carol Oates

Narrado por: Andi Arndt

As a child, Abby had the same recurring nightmare night after night, in which she wandered through a field ridden with human skulls and bones. Now an adult, Abby thinks she's outgrown her demons, until, the evening before her wedding, the terrible dream returns and forces her to confront the dark secrets from her past she has kept from her new husband, Willem. The following day - less than 24 hours after exchanging vows - Abby steps out into traffic. As his wife lies in her hospital bed, sleeping in fits and starts, Willem tries to determine whether this was an absentminded accident or a premeditated plunge, and he quickly discovers a mysterious set of clues about what his wife might be hiding. Why, for example is there a rash-like red mark circling her wrist? What does she dream about that causes her to wake from the sound of her own screams?

Slowly, Abby begins to open up to her husband, revealing to him what she has never shared with anyone before - the story of a terrified mother; a jealous, drug addled father; and a daughter's terrifying captivity.

With a suspenseful, alternating narrative that travels between the present and Abby's tortured childhood, The Pursuit is a meticulously crafted, deeply disquieting tale that showcases Oates' masterful storytelling.

©2019 The Ontario Review, Inc. (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

not what I thought

I tried but could not get past chapter 4, I didn't like the bland simple writing. so much emphasis on being a virgin and negativity about having sex and demonizing men... It was weird.

Story had potential

This author's writing style is terrible. Nearly all of the sentences are stunted half thoughts. It jumps from one character to another without being clear who they're talking about. It's hard to be sure if the story is talking about the present day, their past or hallucinations.

The plot had potential to be a very interesting thriller. Perhaps in more capable hands it would have been.