Solstice

Joyce Carol Oates can do anything in literary terms. Her productivity is legion. Her presentation in this book is arch, knowing. The heroine, Monica, is self-conscious. This is a story about a succubus. It is claustrophobic by intention. Monica has a cul-de-sac in her life. Sheila Trask, an artist, is a neighbor in Glenkill. To teach at a private boys school is perceived as a downward trend for Monica Jensen, a golden girl. In October Sheila Trask pays a visit. The two women commence to see each other. They have intense conversations. Sheila had been married to an older man, another high-flying artist. She has mercurial moods. Everyone at the school knows of Monica's friendship with Sheila. Sheila feels that Monica is being exploited by the academy. When Sheila goes away, Monica's life fills up with other people. Later on Monica becomes a sort of household manager for Sheila as the artist readies her pieces for a show. The author's exposition of the nature of friendship is focused, anguished, and satisfactory.

This book was about an abusive relatiosnhip. This abusive friendship did not have enough boundaries and nothing was clear. They never had sex however they become angry if the other one does with someone else. The jealousies, possessiveness and obsessions continue into a downward spiral with an incomplete ending. I think many people have met people like both of the characters and can relate. Sheila is someone I would stay far away from an emotional leach. Monica is begging to be abused and manipulated.

I first read this book in 1986 and have read it twice more since then. Joyce Carol Oates is the first contemporary American author I remember impressing me enough to linger with me long after I'd read her work. "Solstice," like other works by Joyce Carol Oates, does not paint a pretty picture. Great fiction is often about complex, sad, scary, bitter relationships. Happy relationships are better left to the Harlequins of this world. Sometimes when you're in a weird, complex mood you want weird, complex reading...catharsis and all that..."Solstice" lingers like someone's presence after she's left the room. If you look at some reviews written about this book, there is mention of everything from stormy psyches to lesbian subtext. Whatever the motivation behind Monica and Sheila's relationship, fascination and even some kind of subtle hatred works into it. Monica is transfixed by Sheila and Sheila seems to need Monica as some kind of dumping ground. They'd probably just as soon want to walk away from each other with a clean break, but they can't. As Shelia says, "we'll be for friends for a long, long time...unless one of us dies." Probably a normal thing to say, but still sort of creepy.They behave more like people in love than friends; what they have is not exactly chemistry, but it has drawing power. I always thought this novel was more about hatred than love, but sometimes hatred is love in confusion.

This is an intriguing look at an almost obsessive friendship between two women. It's also an interesting commentary on academia, the art world. Contemporary issues such as class and rape are also explored. However, it was the story of the chilling relationship between the two women that hooked me and wouldn't let me put the book down. I think that this book can be read on many levels. I enjoyed reading it for pleasure, but it is dense enough for all kinds of literary analysis.

This was a really good book...It's about a shy woman teacher, fairly young, who moves to a new town. She meets a strange older woman who's an artist, and they form a very interesting realationship--it deals a lot w/loneliness, I think. yeah.