I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Fox: A Novel by Joyce Carol Oates Published by Hogarth, Penguin Random House on June 17, 2025
Genres: Fiction / Psychological
Pages: 672
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley
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Goodreads
A spellbinding novel of literary and psychological suspense about the dark secrets that surface after the shocking disappearance of a charismatic, mercurial teacher at an elite boarding school—by the legendary author "who is surely on any shortlist of America’s greatest living writers” (The New York Times Magazine)
"Eerie, shocking, provoking, and beautifully written, Fox is yet further proof Oates is one of the greatest writers among us today."—Gillian Flynn
"I found it mesmerizing front to back.”—Michael ConnellyWho is Francis Fox? A charming English teacher new to the idyllic Langhorne Academy, Fox beguiles many of his students, their parents, and his colleagues at the elite boarding school, while leaving others wondering where he came from and why his biography is so enigmatic. When two brothers discover Fox’s car half-submerged in a pond in a local nature preserve and parts of an unidentified body strewn about the nearby woods, the entire community, including Detective Horace Zwender and his deputy, begins to ask disturbing questions about Francis Fox and who he might really be.
A hypnotic, galloping tale of crime and complicity, revenge and restitution, victim vs. predator, Joyce Carol Oates’s Fox illuminates the darkest corners of the human psyche while asking profound moral questions about justice and the response evil demands. A character as magnetically diabolical as Highsmith’s Tom Ripley and Nabokov’s Humbert Humbert, Francis Fox enchants and manipulates nearly everyone around him, until at last he meets someone he can’t outfox. Written in Oates’s trademark intimate, sweeping style, and interweaving multiple points of view, Fox is a triumph of craftsmanship and artistry, a novel as profound as it is propulsive, as moving as it is full of mystery.
Story Locale: New Jersey; Maine
Review
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.
