Joyce Carol Oates discussion

I love her latest, and feel compelled to chat about it. Naturally, all my "book loving" friends are weirded out by the subject matter and have passed on my recommendation to read this new classic. Did the Oates fans here like it, love it, loathe it? How does it compare to Bellefleur, the most kindred spirit in Oates' enormous collection of works? Is she providing a cautionary tale with the ending, or just weaving a creepy story for our amusement?