We Were the Mulvaneys

by Joyce Carol Oates | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 184115699x Global Overview for this book
Registered by Sobergirl of Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on 9/22/2004
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4 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by Sobergirl from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on Wednesday, September 22, 2004
Bought it today and will read it asap.


Oprah's Book Club

Journal Entry 2 by Sobergirl from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on Saturday, October 16, 2004
I tried reading this, I really tried. Got to page 150 and had to admit I just don't like it.
It wasn't what I thought it'd be. It just circled around the problem; the terrible thing that happened in the family, and on and on and on about that one thing...



Journal Entry 3 by Sobergirl from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on Monday, October 25, 2004
Reserved for a bookrelay

Journal Entry 4 by Sobergirl at Post office in Turku, A book trading site -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Released on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at about 5:00:00 AM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at Post office in Turku, Book trade Controlled Releases.

RELEASE NOTES:

Sending it to the UK. Book trade

Journal Entry 5 by skribble from -- Somewhere in London 🤷‍♀️ , Greater London United Kingdom on Wednesday, November 3, 2004
It arrived today! Thanks so much for suggesting this trade Sobergirl.

Journal Entry 6 by skribble from -- Somewhere in London 🤷‍♀️ , Greater London United Kingdom on Thursday, December 2, 2004
I have to admit I am struggling with this too. I'm going to put it aside for a while and come back to it later!

Journal Entry 7 by skribble from -- Somewhere in London 🤷‍♀️ , Greater London United Kingdom on Sunday, September 4, 2005
I haven't ever gone back to this and feel guilty as I know others have enjoyed it. So will be sending this out a mini bookray:

Bookfrogster
Abrokenstarr

Journal Entry 8 by bookfrogster from Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, September 28, 2005
This arrived safely yesterday. Will read and pass on as soon as possible.

Journal Entry 9 by bookfrogster from Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Sunday, October 2, 2005
Well, I thought this was an interesting book. I must say I was so angry with Michael Mulvaney Snr and the way he managed to make the whole thing about himself. What a selfish, self-obsessed man. I thought his wife should have stood up for their daughter more. If it was me and I was given that choice I know who I would have been showing the door! Oh well, I guess the book was real like real life in that people don't always act how you feel they should.
Off to abrokenstarr very soon.

Journal Entry 10 by bookfrogster at Forrest Road Post Office in Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, October 5, 2005

Released 18 yrs ago (10/3/2005 UTC) at Forrest Road Post Office in Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

On its way to abrokenstarr as the next person on the list. Happy reading!

Journal Entry 11 by abrokenstarr from Reading, Berkshire United Kingdom on Sunday, October 9, 2005
Well.. as I am bottom on this ray, I'm going to get around to reading it a little later on. I've just been swamped by rings.

Thanks to Skribble and bookfrogster.

Journal Entry 12 by abrokenstarr at Reading, Berkshire United Kingdom on Sunday, August 15, 2010
This is the tale of the Mulvaney family. Well-adjusted, busy, happy. Until one night when one of the Mulvaneys is wronged in a way that rips the whole thing asunder. Corinne, the mother, has to choose between her husband and a child and the whole family has to deal with the impact of this single event on each of their lives. Most of the story is told through the eyes of Judd, the youngest child, but is picked up on occasion by other members of the family. 

The story looks at the fragility of family ties and, as stated before, the impact of one event, even briefly looking at how little that event affected the perpetrator, calling into question what actually happened in the mind of the reader. It also, slightly depressingly for the story, suggests that family cycles are repeated through the generations, with little sense of hope of improvement.

Oates creates a very vivid picture of family life and creates a particularly vivid character, Corinne. I couldn't agree with the choices she made but I did have some sympathy for her and had some understanding of those choices.

Similar in style to Anne Tyler.

I greatly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. I'll wild release it if I don't have any takers for it.

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