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The Falls reads like a 19th-century epic, with echoes of the gothic. Some critics saw this approach as melodramatic; others called it sublime. Both celebrated and criticized for her prolific output (she has more than 50 books to her name), Oates is well known for probing the psychological depths of her characters, as she did in We Were the Mulvaneys and Blonde. This novel is no exception. Despite general praise (after all, most of Oates's works are small masterpieces), the consensus is it's not

The Falls reads like a 19th-century epic, with echoes of the gothic. Some critics saw this approach as melodramatic; others called it sublime. Both celebrated and criticized for her prolific output (she has more than 50 books to her name), Oates is well known for probing the psychological depths of her characters, as she did in We Were the Mulvaneys and Blonde. This novel is no exception. Despite general praise (after all, most of Oates's works are small masterpieces), the consensus is it's not her most powerful novel. While the plot may grip some readers, the book will likely appeal to those who enjoy depth of character development, interesting (if, at times, overdone) prose, and a brave, brave ending.

In our Book by Book Profile of Joyce Carol Oates in our May/June 2003 issue, Jessica Teisch wrote: "Where to Start: A daunting task, as Oates has been prolific across numerous genres and media. Oates is a master of the short story, and Where are You Going, Where Have You Been? is a collection of some of her best work. For classic Oates, turn to Them. For Oates with a dash of hope, try We Were the Mulvaneys."

This is an excerpt from a review published in Bookmarks magazine.