A major historical novel from "one of the great artistic
forces of our time" (The Nation)—an eerie,
unforgettable story of possession, power, and loss in
early-twentieth-century Princeton, a cultural crossroads of
the powerful and the damned
Princeton, New Jersey, at
the turn of the twentieth century: a tranquil place to raise
a family, a genteel town for genteel souls. But something
dark and dangerous lurks at the edges of the town,
corrupting and infecting its residents. Vampires and ghosts
haunt the dreams of the innocent. A powerful curse besets
the elite families of Princeton; their daughters begin
disappearing. A young bride on the verge of the altar is
seduced and abducted by a dangerously compelling man–a
shape-shifting, vaguely European prince who might just be
the devil, and who spreads his curse upon a richly deserving
community of white Anglo-Saxon privilege. And in the Pine
Barrens that border the town, a lush and terrifying
underworld opens up.
When the bride's brother sets
out against all odds to find her, his path will cross those
of Princeton's most formidable people, from Grover
Cleveland, fresh out of his second term in the White
House and retired to town for a quieter life, to soon-to-be
commander in chief Woodrow Wilson, president of the
university and a complex individual obsessed to the
point of madness with his need to retain power; from the
young Socialist idealist Upton Sinclair to his charismatic
comrade Jack London, and the most famous writer of the era,
Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain–all plagued by "accursed"
visions.
An utterly fresh work from Oates, The
Accursed marks new territory for the masterful writer.
Narrated with her unmistakable psychological insight, it
combines beautifully transporting historical detail with
chilling supernatural elements to stunning effect.
I hadn't involved myself with any Oates for ages until 'The Accursed' came out. To be honest I was slightly trepidatious at the start as reading a 'horror' with more than 500 pages (close to 700 I think) does daunt me. And yes, it seemed like a small eternity passed till I had finished it...but put it down - I couldn't. It wasn't a book designed for happy feelings, and the plots never really reveal themselves, but CJO does write with spell binding lyricism. I got wind through a facebook friend that the Book report radio show will be interviewing the profesor this upcoming Sunday, and focus specifically on her this new book of hers, an interview I will make a point of not missing. Details of the show (depending where you are) is on their website: bookreportradio dotcom fyi. (Rose Killian 8:00am June 21, 2013)
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