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I am a huge Joyce Carol Oates fan, but that doesn't mean I enjoyed all of her books;sometimes I think Oates engages in what I call "character over-development", but not this time. In "Little Bird of Heaven", she delves just deep enough into each major character that you feel like you know them as close as you would a sibling or good friend, in a way that makes you feel strongly for the character and even make you pity someone... Read Full Review

"Little Bird of Heaven" is vintage Joyce Carol Oates, so much so, in fact, that fans of her writing will immediately recognize the novel's setting and tone. Krista Diehl, the young girl whose father Eddie is suspected of the brutal murder of his mistress, is beginning to realize just how dangerous the world can be for a girl fast approaching sexual maturity. She is both repelled and fascinated by the boys and men with whom... Read Full Review

I have never been a huge fan of this Joyce Carol Oates. I have only read a few of her previous books and they were just okay for me. LITTLE BIRD OF HEAVEN is by far her best book based on what I have previously read. This book is told in three sections, and each is filled with incredible characters and descriptions. It is almost poetic the way Oates describes small town life and desperate people. One of the things Oates... Read Full Review

OK I admit it. I read everything by Joyce Carol Oates. That being said this is once again a marvel written by a writer who continues to outdo herself. In terms of nuanced phrasing, intriguing plot, subtlety of language, never revealing too much, and pulling the reader along in a magnetic aura of a dream, Oates is a master. If you have read nothing else of hers, you can start here and learn to love her artistry in a genre she... Read Full Review