After the Wreck, I Picked Myself Up, Spread My Wings, and Flew Away

This is the first full novel I've read from JCO. I've read a couple of her short stories, and mostly liked them, but this? This showed me that Oates probably doesn't talk to people much (because her dialogue is awful), particularly teenage people (because every other sentence is punctuated with "I guess"). In the prose sections, it was okay, but once she got into the dialogue again, she retained the same flowing rhythm of the text--which nobody uses in speech, particularly high schoolers.

Writing style aside, there are a few plot holes. For starters, the narrator (Jenna) was in a car accident in May in which her mother was killed, so now she lives with her aunt and uncle in New Hampshire--but it's not until an accidental overdose at Christmas that the aunt and uncle put her in therapy.

On the whole, Jenna's reactions are probably genuine; they seem true to how a girl would feel and act in the wake of such an accident. (However, responding to many statements with "but this is AFTER the wreck" or "that was BEFORE the wreck" gets irritating). Unfortunately, true and accurate responses don't always make for interesting reading.

Also: how did I end up with TWO books at the same time that feature track runners, both of whom compete in the 800m sprint? ( )

I'm not sure why I didn't like this. It's a bit much for young adults, maybe? There's an awful lot of tragedy and pain in this book. I don't like the idea that "therapy doesn't work." That's a cop-out. If you stick with it or find a better therapist it works wonders. I also don't like the idea that her boyfriend "saved" her. ( )

Reviewed by Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

Joyce Carol Oates's new book for teens has a long title and it really does sort of give away the ending. Although, the ending is probably not the most important, rather the journey and its twists and turns.

Jenna is in a tragic accident with her mother on the Tappan Zee Bridge. Her mother and the driver of the other car are killed, leaving Jenna a survivor, but at what cost? The circumstances of the accident are unclear. What Jenna does remember leads her to believe she might have been responsible.

As Jenna struggles to recover from her injuries, she lives in a drug-induced haze. Her father, who remarried years ago, has a new family. Jenna certainly doesn't feel welcome in his home, so she's told she will be living with an aunt and uncle. Her mother's house is sold and her new home comes complete with two cousins, a new school, and the sometimes nosey concern of a small town.

Attempting to cope with new surroundings and the death of her mother sends Jenna into a tailspin of emotions. She meets new friends, but gravitates to those who help her forget with pills and alcohol. An accidental overdose lands Jenna in the emergency room and under the care of a therapist. Despite the care and concern of her caregivers, her life continues to spin out of control.

Finally there is the arrival of Crow with his dark and mysterious side. Jenna finds she can talk to Crow about things she can't say to anyone else. Does he care about her? Does he have the answers to get her back on track?

AFTER THE WRECK, I PICKED MYSELF UP, SPREAD MY WINGS, AND FLEW AWAY captured me right from the start. Jenna's struggle felt authentic and true. I was touched by her pain and sensitive to her attempts to move on, only to drift back into confusion. Oates definitely outdoes herself with this one. ( )

love the title of this book. story of a teenage girl whose mother dies in a car wreck, which she survives. think the title explains alot about the book, how the young girl tried to "fly away" from the pain and memories. a quick and easy read. ( )

This book starts with 15 year old Jenna, who gets into a car crash. After the
Car crash, she feels alone and she tries to forget what happened. This book was an
“ok” read. Even though it started slow, I eventually got ‘into’ it. The ending is satisfying, not in a surprising way, but in an accomplished and heartwarming way. Brittany
(3/5 stars) ( )