Daddy Love by Joyce Carol Oates

Daddy Love goes on sale, January 8. 2013

Dinah Whitcomb's life comes crashing down on the day her five year old son, Robbie is kidnapped by a sick, sadistic man, known as Preacher Chester Cash and Daddy Love.

On the day, Robbie is taken, Dinah sustains life altering injuries in an attempt to save her son. Her injuries mangle her body and leave it forever altered. Broken bones and torn flesh heal but the broken heart of losing a child is everlasting. It negatively impacts, Dinah in every way possible and her marriage hangs by a tread.

Preacher Chester Cash (aka, Daddy Love) has a history of abducting, abusing, torturing and raping young boys. He forces them to become his "lover" and his "son". He brainwashes, Robbie, now named, Gideon into believing that his parents gave him up. 

As, Robbie/Gideon grows older two things happen. Daddy Love, loses interest in him and Robbie/Gideon begins to see the true monster that, Daddy Love is.

The story is told in alternating points of view. Most of it from the prospective of, Daddy Love. Build up an emotional barricade because this book --- will scar you, haunt you and make you weep. 

This book is NOT for the faint of heart. It is highly disturbing and graphic. 

Oates tackles difficult subjects --- A story like this --- told through the eyes of the abuser makes is all that more chilling.

This books is harrowing. The characters are well developed, some frighteningly so. The ending falls weak. It is anticlimactic and just sorta ends, leaving you unsated.

Grade: B+