Dark subject matter. Beautifully written. Multiple points of view and dual time lines.

#NetGalley

As a quirky 30-year-old who reads with one eyebrow permanently raised, I was both unnerved and captivated. It’s eerie and elegant, leaving you feeling weird, like you forgot something important on purpose.

Every time I thought I'd figured out where this book as going, it pivoted. At the risk of sharing any spoilers, I will be brief and unspecific in my review. This was my first ever Joyce Carol Oates novel and like others have noted, I was not prepared for, at times, the meandering storytelling though I really enjoyed the style for the most part. It took me a while to get into the book but once I did I needed to know how everything played out. I found some sections so deeply disturbing that I wanted to crawl out of my skin. Was this a modern retelling of Lolita? A murder mystery? A police procedural? Some other liminal fourth thing? Whatever it was, I was compelled to keep reading and will be looking forward to more Joyce Carol Oates novels in my future.

Thank you to Random House Publishing, Random House | Hogarth, and NetGalley for an advance ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This book was fantastic. What a story. Everything about this hit the right spot for me. The characters were incredible. Mr. Fox was written so realistically that I had a hard time reading his passages; he came across as too real. My god. The rest of the characters were written with equal intensity. The ending was not really a surprise, more of a confirmation of what I had figured out along the way. The plot itself was excellent, the story a fast-moving page-turner. All in all, a phenomenal book. I look forward to more by this author.

Fox is a literary thriller, with a modern-day Lolita storyline shot straight through it.
It’s dark like season one of True Detective is dark—slow, heavy, and not afraid to go there.

The story opens with a car overturned in a lake and a body, almost completely ravaged, discovered beside it. When the body is identified as a beloved teacher, Francis Fox, who taught at an elite boarding school, nobody can understand why this would happen.
An investigation lays the truth bare, revealing the dark underbelly of the town and the people who live there.

This book slowly, unflinchingly, grabs ahold of the reader, forcing them to peer out from behind a true monster’s eyes, unable to look away until every stone is left unturned.

I can’t tell you the last time I read something this horrifying. And I’m equally unsure of when it’ll leave my mind.

In her latest work of literary psychological suspense, Joyce Carol Oates proves once again why she's considered one of America's greatest living writers. Fox: A Novel is a masterfully crafted exploration of power, manipulation, and the dark undercurrents that can lurk beneath seemingly respectable facades.

The novel centers on Francis Fox, a charismatic middle school teacher whose sudden disappearance from an elite boarding school sets the narrative in motion. Oates, with her characteristic psychological acuity, weaves a deeply disturbing tale that examines the ripple effects of predatory behavior and the complex web of complicity that can enable it.

What distinguishes this work is Oates's brilliant structural choices. The story unfolds through multiple perspectives, each voice adding layers to our understanding of Fox and the circumstances surrounding his disappearance. This kaleidoscopic approach allows Oates to explore not just the central mystery, but the wider implications of power dynamics in educational institutions and society at large.

The prose is vintage Oates—hypnotic and precise, with an underlying current of tension that builds steadily throughout the narrative. Her writing style here is particularly effective in its restraint; she knows exactly when to pull back and when to delve deeper, creating a rhythm that mirrors the psychological states of her characters. The author's trademark ability to illuminate the darkest corners of human nature is on full display, though readers should be forewarned that the subject matter is frequently challenging and disturbing.

Thematically, the novel grapples with questions of innocence and culpability, the nature of evil, and the ways in which institutions can either enable or prevent abuse. Oates examines how charm and authority can be weaponized, and how communities process and respond to revelations of betrayal. The boarding school setting serves as both literal location and metaphor, a closed ecosystem where power imbalances can flourish unchecked.

While the novel's pacing occasionally becomes repetitive—sometimes deliberately so for effect—this minor flaw is overshadowed by the overall power of the narrative. The character development is exceptional, with even minor figures rendered in complex, nuanced strokes. Oates's psychological insight into her characters' motivations and self-deceptions is particularly noteworthy.

The novel's greatest strength lies in how it captures the nuances of choice and consequence. As noted by several critics, Oates explores how people's decisions—both active choices and passive acceptance—can contribute to systemic failures of protection and oversight. The mystery element of the plot serves as a framework for these deeper explorations rather than mere entertainment.

Though not an easy read due to its subject matter, Fox represents Oates at her most incisive. It's a novel that demands attention and engagement, refusing to offer simple answers to complex questions. Instead, it invites readers to examine uncomfortable truths about power, responsibility, and the institutions we trust with our children's safety.

For readers familiar with Oates's work, Fox will feel both familiar and fresh—a continuation of her career-long exploration of violence and vulnerability in American life, but with new urgency and relevance. For newcomers to her work, it serves as a powerful introduction to her commanding literary skills, though they might want to start with some of her less challenging works.

This is a novel that will linger in readers' minds long after they've finished it, prompting discussions and self-reflection. While it may not be her most enjoyable work, it's certainly among her most important, adding another significant chapter to Oates's already remarkable literary legacy.

Mr. Fox leaves one school after an incident with one of his female students. He is hired at a prestigious school with a new name vowing to stay clear of abusing some of the girls until he sees some to include in his Kitten category. When Mr. Fox is found dead in his car in a polluted river, the detective finds his child pornography site with thousands of subscribers on the dark web. The investigation begins as parents, staff, and students are questioned. The hold Mr. Fox had on students and staff is frightening. I feel that this story lacks credibility and was disappointed becuause I really like Joyce Carol Oates' writing.

This psychological thriller dives deep into the unsettling story of a manipulative, charming figure who infiltrates a prestigious private school, wreaking havoc on everyone in his path. His mysterious disappearance and grim discovery set off a chain reaction that unravels the lives of students, faculty, and the town.

The writing is sharp and thought-provoking, weaving through multiple perspectives and timelines, keeping you engaged despite the heaviness of the subject matter. The plot is dark, yet Oates’s prose makes it all the more compelling, forcing you to confront the ripple effects of one person’s twisted actions. It’s intense, layered, and unrelentingly thought-provoking.

Oates masterfully pulls you into a world of moral ambiguity, where every character is left questioning their role in the tragedy. This is a gripping, unsettling read that stays with you long after the last page. Highly recommend for fans of literary thrillers with a deep psychological edge.

I read a lot of literary but the language is so complex here that you don’t hear a voice. My tongue was tripping on strings of strange adjectives. Could not read it.

Wow, Fox is a novel that is brilliantly written in Joyce Carol Oates' signature style. It is one that will stick with me long after I've moved on to read other books, and I haven't decided how I feel about that yet. Fox is shocking, unsettling, thought provoking, and just brilliant. It is easily one of her best novels to date.

I’ve read ever so many novels and stories of Joyce Carol Oates and however horrific these stories m may be—frequently that’s a good word for them—the prose is always, always elegant and arresting. Not so here. This is the first Oates novel I’ve ever read where I wished she had taken her time. There are many trite turns of phrase. When it isn’t trite, it’s flat.

Fox by Joyce Carol Oates is a dark, gripping exploration of power and obsession. Oates’ masterful prose and psychological depth create an intense, thought-provoking narrative that lingers long after the last page.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC for this book. Joyce Carol Oates really knows how to write about unlikeable characters. This was a difficult and often uncomfortable book to read. Her writing style and plot kept me interested until the satisfying end.

This book is for people who appreciate JCO’s long winded artfully crafted parenthetical asides. Readers who are not used to her style may give up on this book. I knew what I was getting myself into, and I knew the topic was shocking and may be triggering for some readers. But there is something about JCO’s writing that will always compel me to finish the book. In the first few chapters, you know that the titular character has disappeared and the remainder of the book slowly builds the backstory of why this happened. This book will be difficult for sexual abuse and assault survivors.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Tonight on Dateline, Oates does Lolita

Who's afraid of Joyce Carol Oates? Me, of course. I read the novel Blonde over the course of a few months after several attempts at diving into it. It was beautifully written, but also forcefully, and necessarily, depressing. When I saw her latest novel, Fox , on NetGalley I instantly requested it and was pleased when I was approved to read it. Who is Francis Fox? A charming new teacher who beguiles his students, their parents, and his colleagues. Mr. Fox is less taken with his new community, but then he's always had his favorites: those prepubescent girls brought up in fatherless homes. When two brothers discover parts of his body strewn about the woods the community must begin to ask exactly who Francis Fox was and what might have happened to him

Like with much of her other work, Oates’ writing in Fox is alluring, exacting, and quite repetitive. I found that I didn’t necessarily mind the repetition in some sections, because it felt like it served a thematic purpose and in some instances presented an alternative perspective of some events in the novel. Francis Fox (our Humbert Humbert) is both seductive and utterly repellant. I was entranced as the spotlight shifted between characters and how they relate to one another on the page. Oates masterfully crafts several character sketches and I was often excited to explore a particular point of view. Middle-aged detectives, spinsterish administrators and twelve-year-old girls are all convincingly written and imbued the story with some humanity, something that is desperately needed after sharing space with a character like Fox.

At over 600 pages, this novel was one I circled several times before finally committing to reading it. The length is certainly navigable, but sometimes Oates’ prose can be daunting, jarring to adjust to as she makes revelations that land like gut punches in her distinct style. The content of the novel, as you can imagine from the synopsis, is quite dark but Fox is difficult to put down. I think because of the apprehensive way that I have approached some of Oates’ other works I wasn’t entirely expecting this book to be the page turner that it ended up being. Yes, there is a central mystery to the novel that held me captive, but Fox shines equally bright when it is exploring complicated family dynamics, trauma, and the morally ambiguous decision making driving its characters.

Trigger Warnings: pedophilia, self harm, graphic descriptions; sensitive readers may find it disturbing.

There is so much to this psychological thriller. In short, a charismatic, chameleon pedophile infuses himself into and captivates an exclusive private school, affecting the lives of students, staff, and residents of a small town in Southern New Jersey. When his car and decayed body are found in a local waterway, the story of his life unravels as do the lives of those around him.

Despite the dark subject, this is beautifully written and despite the length (600+ pages), riveting. With well developed characterizations, there are multiple POVs and dual timelines. The story is unsettling, compelling, realistic, thought provoking and one that just may stay with you a while.
The publisher’s synopsis notes this book is reminiscent of Lolita and The Talented Mr. Ripley….and it is.

Maybe I am a little burned out on Joyce Carol Oates. I only got a couple pages in before I completely lost interest.

This book was a bit outside my normal choices as i read mostly for Middle School through young adult as a librarian. The fame of the author pulled me in and i must say, she kept me reading! The insight into the thoughts of the wide range of characters is impressive! It is not a quick read if you want to really get into minds of all the characters. The author's use of parentheticals was unusual but added to the "inside the minds" feel of the book. Suspenseful, tackling a hard subject, and a major twist add to the appeal for serious readers. If absorbing different writing styles is something you enjoy just as much as the story, this is a book for you!

Horrific and exquisite, <i>Fox</i> is a gripping reminder that hideous figures become impossible to look away from in the hands of a superb storyteller.

A body is discovered early, this is a mystery at heart but also a wicked demonstration of how many are impacted by the disturbed actions of one. Scenes bounce rapidly as shreds of the plot are revealed through the perspectives of parents, kids, dogs, janitors, teachers, detectives, and our titular poet-protagonist, Francis Fox. Oates masterfully unravels horrors through metered pieces and the spotlight pauses only briefly between characters. The reader is left struggling for purchase on secure ground. Details and adjectives are sometimes served in parentheticals and over pages the effect acts as a devil on our shoulder filling in details. The cadence of characters’ unrelenting thoughts cast a trance, <i>Fox</i> overflows with incredible prose. The less plot details you know the better going into this incredible novel.

It is astonishing how Joyce Carol Oates persists in challenging us with electrifying books centered around twisted material. Apparently octogenarians can capture the psyche of twelve-year-old girls with frightening authenticity.

One of the most skilled contemporary writers of American fiction continues to soar around the track at top speed. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for a review copy.

4/5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. This book masterfully sets the stage for a gripping psychological thriller, blending intrigue, suspense, and literary depth. It paints Francis Fox as an enigmatic and unsettlingly charismatic figure, drawing readers into a world where charm and deception intertwine. The setup—an elite boarding school, a mysterious teacher with a shadowy past, and a gruesome discovery—immediately hooks the audience, promising a tale rich with moral complexity and psychological nuance. The comparisons to Patricia Highsmith’s Tom Ripley and Nabokov’s Humbert Humbert elevate expectations, suggesting a protagonist as mesmerizing as he is dangerous. Joyce Carol Oates’s signature storytelling, with its layered perspectives and psychological intensity, ensures Fox is not just a mystery but a profound exploration of justice, complicity, and the darkness within. This us an irresistible novel for fans of literary crime fiction.