It is a fictionalised account of the Chappaquiddick incident, where a young woman dies in the car crashed by Ted Kennedy. The Kennedy character is only ever referred to as “The Senator” but there are other clues to his identity such as mentions of a brother, the thread of assassination and that he is known by a diminutive form of his full name. Some of the details of the event have been changed in the book (the time period is later, the location and girl’s name changed) perhaps to avoid being sued, but it unmistakable as that event.

The story is told from the point of view of the woman as she drowns. As the black water of the title comes into the car, we are privy to her thoughts about the events that led up to the accident and what she thinks is happening to her. It is often difficult to write about real life events, but here the author has created a simple but powerful book.

I would not say that I enjoyed reading it because I found it harrowing, but I certainly admired and appreciated the writing and it has left a lasting impression on me. ( )

Despite its brevity, this may be the best of the Oates books I've read. Powerful, frightening, seemingly a very real poetic rendering of a fragile young girl who meets an important charismatic (not to mention married and drunk) Senator at a party on an island and leaves with him. A curve taken too fast and the car plunges into cold black water. The senator escapes, but the girl . . Sounds familar?

I thought the scenes in the car were freakishly harrowing and well-written. Shudder. I really empathized with Kelly - she was about my age in the early 90's. I remember what it is like trying to forge a strong single female identity out of despair, rejection, expectations. I felt heartbroken as she reflected on what her death would mean to her parents. And chilled at the realization: we often rehearse in the moment how we will relay present circumstances to a friend in the future -- how we will tell the story -- always assuming we will be in that future. It never occurs to us we might die at any moment.

Overall, occasionally a bit repetitive and tangential, but quite effective and haunting in the main. Oates can be so hit or miss for me -- but this is a well written novella that packs a watery punch. I can't even imagine what a devastating read this must be for those that were involved in the tragedy on which it is based. ( )

Might be Oates' best novel, she works best at this length. ( )

Using the Ted Kennedy disaster of his real life abandonment of a young girl who drowed because of his recklessness, Joyce Carol Oates vividly weaves the tale from the point of view of the drowning character. As the black water rises and fills her lungs, the reader can almost gasp her last breath, taste the brackish, dark, murky madness as "the senator" flees leaving the helpless victim inside the ever rising water-filled car. ( )

This is a breath taking book from the point of view of the girl - Kelly Kelleher - and her death in a wild ride with a senator ( )