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Content snapshot
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Violence
Some
Violence in multiple stories including depictions of abuse and murder
Language
Barely any
Mild to moderate profanity across the collection
Sexual Content
Some
Sexual content in some stories; the title story involves child sexual abuse (not graphically depicted)
Substance Use
Barely any
Some substance use in various stories
Emotional Intensity
A lot
Psychological horror, trauma, and the grotesque throughout; disturbing content is the collection's purpose
What this book is about
Oates's 1994 collection of sixteen horror stories explores suburban terror, childhood trauma, sexual violence, and the grotesque body. Stories like the title piece involve child abduction and abuse; others deal with obsession, madness, and monstrous transformation. Among Oates's most deliberately horrifying work, these tales demonstrate her mastery of the short story form in its darkest register.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Child abduction and abuse in the title story
Horror and psychological terror
Grotesque body horror in several stories
Reader Verification
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More Horror books from the catalog.
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