Babysitter is a novel that looks at the corrosive, violent nature of Detroit in the 1970s.
Hannah is a wealthy woman on the cusp of 40 who is looking for affection and validation from men. Her privilege allows her to think that her children will always be safe.
Her journey is to learn to stand on her own.

There is a serial killer on the loose murdering children and he is called The BabySitter. The delves into the depth of depravity that people inflict on children and it can be overwhelming to read.

The paths cross and the book brings both threads together to expose debauchery and helplessness in a world that needs the opposite

Joyce Carol Oats does it again! Amazing story for such a timeless author. I thoroughly enjoyed the aspects of the imagery in the story. The scary nuances were depth defying.

Babysitter, the latest novel from the prolific Joyce Carol Oates, is the story of an almost 40 year old housewife living outside of Detroit and set in 1977. Hannah’s story intertwines with serial killer of young boys (based on actual events).

The writing, which I believe is Oates’ typical style, is quite unusual, in that the reader is never quite sure what actually happened and what is just Hannah’s thoughts. There’s a bit of repetition and can be quite confusing but at the same time, compelling.

For me, it was a bit of a slog through the first third of the book but picked up quickly after that. I didn’t care for Hannah, who seemed only capable of seeing her self in the reflection of others. And the ending was also confusing (at least to me) but overall a novel worth reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance digital book!

I've read other books by this author and was looking forward to this one. It left me a little disappointed, but that may be a me thing and not a book thing.

The novel takes place in 1977 Detroit. A serial killer is kidnapping and killing white children between the ages of 11-14. The killer bathes and arranges them nude with their clothes folded nearby to be found. The killer has been dubbed "The Babysitter". Therefore, I though this would be the main subject line of the book. It is not. This storyline seems to run more in the background of the main one.

We meet Hannah Garrett, a wealthy suburban housewife who is most definitely unfullfilled, both in life an dher marriage. At a fundraiser she chairs, she meets a mysterious man who whispers to her, "Which one are you?" and she takes this to mean which man is her husband. He disappears, but later contacts her to meet him at an upscale motel where they begin an illicit affair that goes beyond her boundaries.

Her husband doesn't seem to care about her, her children have a nanny/housekeeper who cares for them, and so Hannah turns to YK, the mystery man, to fill a void in her life. But is he everything she believes him to be? Is there something more going on? Trigger warnings definitely in this book for violence, rape, child assault.

I felt like this book was well written. But the storyline fell a bit flat for me, I never felt invested, and Hannah was a very unlikeable character.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knoph Doubleday Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to #NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I was so excited to read more by Joyce Carol Oates, a confirmed literary legend. This did not disappoint. Told in a collection of short fragments, this was a bizarre but enjoyable mix of crime thriller, a woman’s middle aged questioning of her values and role in her suburban life, the book’s style is a little frantic, in choppy sentences and sentence fragments, often without speaker tags. It was a little jarring, but fit the subject matter well: police brutality, sexual assault, serial killings. Not an easy read, but a solid one.

I struggled with this book. I think it was a matter of me just not meshing well with this author and her style. It wasn’t bad – it just wasn’t for me. There were times I had trouble following the plot and I was very confused. Because of this, it was hard for me to get into and I felt like I had to force myself to get through it.

There was a great plot line in there underneath all of this, and those parts I really did enjoy. However, with the title of the book being Babysitter, I expected there to be more focus on the babysitter and less on Hannah’s affair.

Overall, for those who love this author, you’ll enjoy this book.

I have been a big Joyce Carol Oates fan for years. I have literally read all of her novels and most of her short stories. She has a big movie coming out on Netflix for her book Blonde. She will be in the spotlight for awards season and getting lots of press. This brings us to her latest book Babysitter. This is a very dark novel but gives us the best of Oates and why I am such a big fan, It takes place in the 70's and has two intertwining stories. One about a serial killer that goes after kids and a woman bored with her middle class marriage who is having an affair with someone she thought would spice up her life. The book goes back and forth at a breakneck pace and you have no idea how the book will end. It's part sliding doors/will serial killer be found out. I strongly recommend this book. It's Oates at her finest and will be a nice place for new readers to start because it's accesible and a complete page turner. Thank you to #knopf and #netgalley for the pre-publication read. So excited to share this book with my bookstagram

This one’s pacing just didn’t work for me. I think maybe modern true crime has spoiled me and made me want a fast-paced thriller.

A frustrating and convoluted novel with aggravating characters and a pointless sub-plot. I expected more from this novel than to want to throw it across the room every 20 pages. None of the characters are likable much less redeemable. The situations portrayed are crass, which would be fine if they were purposeful, yet the point appears to simply be to enrage the reader to the point of absolute disillusionment. Most unnerving of all is the main character's personality, demeanor and outlook. An absolutely unbelievable person who is unable and apparently incapable of making a good decision or even an assertive one.

Oates is an an amazing storyteller. Taking real life invents and spinning them into fiction is totally engrossing.
Once a fan always a fan!

Thank you NetGalley!

Hannah's life changes in 1977 when she meets YK at a charity gala. She's married to Wes, a wealthy man, has two children, a housekeeper, and is bored. In the background, at first, there's the story of a serial killer known as the Babysitter targeting children- killing and then posing them. YK assaults Hannah, which should have turned her off but it doesn't. She fantasizes about him but then the tension of the Babysitter amps up. While this is set in Detroit, you don't get a real sense of the city (and there are some incongruous details). I've gone back and forth over the course of Oates' career about her writing style, which has alternately entranced me or irritated me. This one falls directly in the middle- there's the detachment and the repetition that characterizes her novels. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This one is very much for her fans.

Babysitter by Joyce Carol Oates is set in 1977 in Detroit. A serial killer is on the loose that targets children and goes by the moniker Babysitter. But Oates is not interested in the investigation. This not a crime thriller. At the novels heart is Hannah, a 39 year old housewife whose marriage is deteriorating.
I've been a longtime fan of JCO. This novel was riveting, disturbing, well written and often uncomfortable to read (due to subject matter and graphic details). Kept me on the edge throughout but was somewhat disappointed with the ending, as it left me feeling like I missed something.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for this e-arc.*

This is my first book by Joyce Carol Oates, and I am sad to say this may be my last. I hope it is okay that I say that, I have not written a review like this. I know I love unlikeable characters occasionally, but I did not like them in this case. As I read other books, I found this is nothing new to the author. I do not think I can stand it every single book. This did not really capture the time period, and honestly seemed more focused on Hannah, but when it was focused on the crimes it had a lot of details. Some many people could have a hard time with. I am glad I got to read this book, but for me it was just okay.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The synopsis of this sounded so good, but it was just not for me. The writing style was very dry, and I couldn't seem to want to read it. It really dragged.

I liked the characters and the plot. It was good. I don't think it's a book I'll ever reread. But it was a good read Just not a favorite. It did hit some slow points with me.

Another astounding, albeit very dark Joyce Carol Oates book! I stayed up nights reading this book, and this is one that will definitely haunt me for awhile! The main character Hannah totally takes a very horrific downward spiral. She starts out having it all-being wealthy, 2 children, husband, beautiful house in the suburbs. But, as we often see, perfection has its flaws. I imagined Hannah as Betty Draper from Mad Men. She's always been told what to do, who to be, and this chance at starting a different life excited her, yet left her with crippling paranoia. Her decision to have an affair is her impetus into the unknown, and it was interesting to be an observer of her emotions. After the traumatic events with her lover, we are still able to see the battle Hannah endures between being guilty and being elated by something so exciting, even though it's caused her harm. I enjoyed the various POVs of the staff around her from the parking attendants to her maid, Ismelda. On one extreme we have her racist husband Wes, and on the other we hear from the people of color and experience first hand the injustices against them here. The Babysitter subplot, with Ponytail brings an added element of terror and sexual trauma, this time within the Catholic Church. As readers, we are able to quickly tie the two plots together from the beginning, and it creates a real mystery the entire book as to who "the Babysitter" really is. This book changes points of view and narratives often, and it's a book you have to pay attention to and not skip over (which can be hard if you're a speed reader!). I think fans of Mindhunter and Hannibal would love this. It's an ominous, gritty book from start to finish, but nonetheless chilling. I would love to see a movie or TV Show out of this. Thanks, NetGalley and Publisher for the ARC.

Once I started this novel, I found it hard to put down. Oates really immerses the reader in the action, which at times can be a bit disorienting but is ultimately fulfilling as you work your way to the end of the novel.

It makes me a few pages to adapt myself to Joyce Carol Oates's style. I finally really liked her writing.

When you start a Joyce Carol Oates book you never what it's going to happen as she's a master storyteller but she's also a writer who deliver stories that makes sense only if you perservere.
This was an excellent story, a literary novel with a thriller taster. I hated the characters, hated the plot, loved the plot and found it riveting and grippig.
If you want a standard serial-killer-suburrb-etc story this is not the right one. If you want to try an excellent literary novel read it.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I had a difficult time settling in to this one. I was confused, it was long, I just wasn’t feeling it.