I had never heard of the Chappaquiddick Incident or Joyce Carol Oates before this book, and since the subject didn't really interest me it probably wasn't the best choice for me to read out of this author's sprawling literary bibliography. But while I was never enamored with the story being told, (a fictionalization of a real-life incident in the vein of "In Cold Blood), I was floored by this author's mastery of her art form. Ms. Oates writes beautifully and her stream-of-consciousness imagery is absolutely gorgeous. I want to read something else by Oates, and now being aware of the sheer number of books this woman has written, next time I will be more selective in finding one with a subject I will enjoy more.