Foxfire
Foxfire
Book Brief
384
Novel • Fiction
•
Historical FictionUpstate New York • 1950s
•
World History•
LGBTQ+1993
YA
18+ years
1520L
Super Short Summary
In Foxfire: Confessions of a Girl Gang by Joyce Carol Oates, Madeleine “Maddy” Wirtz recalls her teenage years as a member of a 1950s girl gang in upstate New York. Led by the charismatic and rebellious Margaret “Legs” Sadovsky, the gang seeks to fight back against the abuses and injustices they face from men and authority figures, resorting to vandalism, violence, and ultimately, a failed kidnapping, before disbanding as they grow apart. The novel addresses themes of sexual abuse, harassment, and violence.
Gritty
Dark
Mysterious
Emotional
Challenging
Reviews & Readership
8,109 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Joyce Carol Oates' Foxfire captivates with its raw portrayal of adolescent rebellion and female empowerment in a 1950s setting. Reviewers commend its intense, lyrical prose and complex characters but note that its dark themes and pacing might not appeal to all readers. Overall, it's seen as a poignant, yet challenging novel.
Who Should Read Foxfire?
A reader who enjoys gritty, raw narratives of female adolescence and rebellion akin to Susanna Kaysen's Girl, Interrupted or Jeffrey Eugenides's The Virgin Suicides would be captivated by Joyce Carol Oates's Foxfire. This novel appeals to those interested in intense character studies and the dynamics of marginalized youth.
8,109 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Foxfire: Confessions of a Girl Gang was published in 1993 and is one of Joyce Carol Oates's numerous explorations of youth and rebellion, often drawing on themes from her own experiences growing up in upstate New York.
The novel was adapted into a film in 1996, starring a young Angelina Jolie in one of her early roles, which helped catapult her career in the 1990s.
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Joyce Carol Oates frequently uses music and cultural references from the 1950s, providing a rich historical backdrop that adds depth and authenticity to the setting of Foxfire.
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384
Novel • Fiction
•
Historical FictionUpstate New York • 1950s
•
World History•
LGBTQ+1993
YA
18+ years
1520L
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