 First edition | |
| Author | Joyce Carol Oates |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Ecco Press |
| Publication date | 2016 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 284 |
| ISBN | 978-0-06-241609-4 |
The Man Without a Shadow is a novel by Joyce Carol Oates published in 2016 by Ecco Press.
 | This section needs a plot summary. (April 2025) |
Calling The Man Without a Shadow "remarkably unusual and haunting," literary critic Eric K. Anderson at Bearing Witness: Joyce Carol Oates Studies writes:
The Man Without a Shadow is a triumphantly successful novel that makes original connections between science's mission to comprehend the elusive mechanics of the mind and the humanities' exploration of the manifestations of love.
New York Times critic Leah Hager Cohen reports that The Man Without a Shadow is "uncomfortable reading" in both its narrative and thematic scope. Acknowledging Oates's audacity in portraying "violence, betrayal and shame, sexual and otherwise," Cohen questions her treatment of these topics: "It's as if this material mesmerizes her so utterly that it impedes the full range of her power to interrogate it..."
Reviewer Jeff Robson at The Independent notes "A moving climax proves that, unlike her protagonists, Oates' talents and perceptions remain unimpaired."