Review of "Pursuit: A Novel of Suspense" by Joyce Carol Oates

Twenty-year-old Abby Hayman is an employee of County Services in upstate New York, where she works at the Rehabilitation Center for the Blind.





That's where Abby meets Willem Zengler, a devoutly Christian college student who volunteers to read for the sightless patients.



Abby is pretty, Willem is handsome, and the two young people fall in love. Willem proposes despite the reservations of his parents, who feel like Abby is too much of an unknown quantity.



Abby lost her parents at a young age, and was raised by her Aunt Traci in Chautauqua Falls, which is a couple of hours away. Thus the Zenglers haven't met any of Abby's relatives, and feel they don't know enough about Abby or her family.

Abby is an innocent in many ways, but she does indeed have secrets. Both of Abby's parents disappeared in unknown circumstances when she was five. It's alleged that Abby's father committed suicide out west, which he threatened to do in postcards.



And it's believed that Abby's mother went off to look for the troubled man....and never returned.



Moreover, Abby's name isn't really Abby.....it's Miriam Frances. And the future bride has to explain this when she produces her birth certificate to get a marriage license.

In any case, Abby and Willem marry, and less than 24 hours later Abby steps in front of a bus. During Abby's long recuperation and rehabilitation, Willem - who barely leaves her side - tries to elicit an explanation for the incident. Was it an accident? Attempted suicide? Something else?



We learn that recurring bad dreams - involving skeletons - played a role in Abby's actions, though the meaning of the nightmares isn't immediately clear.

While Abby is slowly recovering from her injuries, there's a long flashback to the lives of Abby's parents, Nicola and Llewyn (Lew) Hayman - who lived in Chautauqua Falls.

When we meet the Hayman family, little Miriam Frances (called Meer-me) is five; Nicola is a teacher at a community college; and Lew is a cantankerous, hard-drinking veteran of the Middle East war.....perhaps suffering from PTSD.



Lew is an angry controlling man who's sure Nicola is cheating on him, and determined to prove it. To do this Lew enlists the help of little Meer-me. In his 'kind-Daddy' voice, Lew repeatedly asks Meer-me: "Does Mommy have a friend who visits her when Daddy is away?.....Does Mommy have a special friend - a male - who visits her when Daddy is away?"



Meer-me isn't sure what 'male' means, and sensing Daddy wants her to agree, murmurs "Uh-huh" and nods yes.

This leads to the Haymans' separation, and things go downhill from there.

We get a SLOW, TORTUROUS, HORRIFYING picture of Lew's subsequent behavior, which leaves Meer-me in the custody of Lew's sister Traci, who - barely able to make ends meet - moves them into the old ramshackle family home.



At the age of eight, Meer-me accidentally learns about (what she sees as) the consequences of her 'nodding yes', and it's this that spawns the nightmares that plague her.

For me, most of the flashback section is too slow and disturbing. Lew's downward spiral, and the subsequent consequences, are predictable, and a harrowing play by play feels like piling on.



Anyone familiar with true crime programs, law and order shows, or the real news can figure out where this novel is going. It's nothing new.

I also don't like Willem much, who - in his goody two shoes religious way - is also a controlling man who "knows" what God wants.

As for the women, Abby and Nicola are too weak and acquiescent. Both women should run for the hills instead of hooking up with Willem and Lew (but then there wouldn't be a story 🙂).

Joyce Carol Oates is a gifted writer, but it's not clear (to me) what she was aiming at with this book. To put the best spin on it, this is the story of childhood trauma and self blame that has serious repercussions.

Still, many readers gave this book high ratings, so - if the theme interests you - I'd suggest giving it a try.

Rating: 3 stars