Books like The Falls by Joyce Carol Oates
Joyce Carol Oates’ novel interweaves the lives of a New York family across generations, exposing the psychological and domestic turmoil that echoes the tragic story of Love Canal. As the nuclear age takes hold in Upstate New York, the region’s polluted environment—particularly the fallout of radioactive waste disposal—creates a backdrop of danger and neglect for the working‑poor residents. Through shifting narrators and time, the novel reveals a curse that binds the family to environmental devastation, domestic violence, and the silent mourning of widows and suicide victims.
First publish date: 2004
Genre: Historical Fiction/20th Century Historical Fiction
Authors: Joyce Carol Oates
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