The Accursed

April 29, 2013
Clocking in at a whopping 23 hours, this sweeping narrative set at the turn of the 20th century, tells the tale of a town in New Jersey where evil seems to have been birthed and is wreaking havoc: a curse, disappearances, abduction, and even an appearance by a man who might be the devil himself. Seasoned narrator Grover Gardner delivers a compelling performance and an enjoyable listen from start to finish. Gardner’s delivery is well paced and thoughtful; his shifts in tone occur just at the right moments and keep listeners on their toes. Though the book’s plot becomes a bit confusing in the middle to latter portion of the novel, Gardner pulls off an entertaining performance—and even voices Grover Cleveland and other historical figures. All in all, a long and winding road made enjoyable by a spirited performer. A HarperLuxe paperback.

Starred review from November 5, 2012
Oates has published more than enough books to take risks, and her newest is exactly that: first drafted in the early 1980s, then set aside, the novel is, in addition to being a thrilling tale in the best gothic tradition, a lesson in master craftsmanship. Distilled, the plot is about a 14-month curse manifesting in Princeton, N.J., from 1905 to 1906, affecting the town's elite, including the prominent Slades of Crosswicks and Woodrow Wilson, the president of Princeton University. After Annabel Slade is strangely drawn out of the church during her wedding, an escalating series of violence and madness based in secrets and hypocrisy is unleashed in the community. This story has vampires, demons, angels, murder, lynching, beatings, rape, sex, parallel worlds,, Antarctic voyages, socialism, sexism, racism, paranoia, gossip, spiritualism, and escalating insanity. Oates uses the Homeric ring structure, and her mysterious narrator takes frequent tangents, offering backstories, side stories, footnotes, and a hilarious, subtly satirical chapter on the different-colored diaries and lacquered boxes providing his "sources." The story sprawls, reaches, demands, tears, and shrieks in homage to the traditional gothic, yet with fresh, surprising twists and turns. Oates weaves historical figures throughout, grounding the narrative in a quasi-familiar reality without losing a "through the looking-glass" surrealism. The cause of the curse is not much of a surprise, but the way it's broken is both traditionally mythic and satisfying. Oates has given us a brilliantly crafted work that refreshes the overworked tradition. The author's rage at social injustices and the horrific "cures" for invalids boil beneath the surface; she's skilled enough to let them fuel the fury without erupting into fire. Take on this 700-page behemoth with an open mind, and hang on for the ride. Agent: Warren Frazier, John Hawkins and Assoc.