https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/03/24/the-frenzy-fiction-joyce-carol-oates
Thankfully the story is read by Joyce Carol Oates and not AI.
A forty-sixish man and his teenage mistress (his constant term for her, not mine) are on the way to Cape May. He is married and has children but is sort of besotted with this nineteen year old-although much of it seems to rest on her age. He has, in fact, rented a condo in Manhattan, with the idea of leaving his wife and kids and taking up with this girl who is the daughter of friends.
This story reminds me so much of a John Updike story, not any particular one, but many of them. Especially as it's told from the male POV. The girl's interest in him seems more experimental than born of any passion. His interest in her is in his ability to attract a nineteen year old. Of course, it is a well-written story but I am betting-like Updike-Oates has written a dozen stories like this. There is nothing that sets it apart except perhaps its title, which came from an earlier boat trip when he watched a feeding frenzy with fish. Now the frenzy is his.
12 comments:
Yeah, it does sound very Updike. I'm just not a huge fan of Oates's fiction, though the short(ish) stories are more likely to get my attention than her longer works.
I'm finishing what I can read of the James Sallis book (the complete stories) before having to return it tomorrow. I must admit here I have the reverse opinion of the Oates - I prefer his novels, though the stories are mostly beautifully written and sometimes quite interesting. I have the feeling he was trying out experimental ideas in quite a few of them.
I have that collection on my kindle and need to try a few out.
Just from your description, Patti, I could see the similarity to Updike. I wonder what the story would have been like from her POV...
I suspect the story from her POV would be at least as interesting, and only a bit less self-righteous if less creepily smug...I'm amused to learn we chose one of the same stories...Updike, I suspect, would tend to have more fellow-feeling for the aging protag...women not his strong suit in what I've read. Whereas Oates loses little love on her protag, but at least (not much of a spoiler) she does not sharing the fate of the young women in such notable early stories as "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?"...
https://socialistjazz.blogspot.com/2025/03/ssw-frenzy-by-joyce-carol-oates-new.html
"The Frenzy" is JCO/TNY's title, FWIW. TM, initialing out (I.o.)
Definitely. As I made a pitch for his '70s short fiction, I should see which if any he included.
I've read plenty of Joyce Carol Oates's work--she grew up about 30 miles from where I now live--and like Jeff, prefer her short stories to her novels.
Or, share the fate. One thing about cats--while one is typing, they will come up and mew in one's ear for attention. "Can't you see I'm Creating Profound Thoughts About Art, here, Ninja?" "Snirsk!" she snirsks in reply.
And, Patti--what's the photo? If the story were set in 1960, it might even have served as illo...as I gather it struck you as well...
Yeah, it's me in about 1962 playing a board game on my parents' bed on Christmas with my cousin, Johnny. I always thought he looked like Roddy McDowell.
That pose/angle makes him look a bit beefier, but I can see it.
I have not read a short story by Joyce Carol Oates that I liked yet. (So I haven't read many.) I will try this one, because it does sound interesting.
I like that picture of you playing a board game, although you look like you are not happy with the photographer. I never looked that good as a teenager.
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