In this The Daily Beast review, Elliot Ackerman examines Joyce Carol Oates’s novel Carthage and asks what gives a work of fiction the authority to portray war.

What Makes a War Novel?

Ackerman argues that military service is not required to write convincingly about combat. Writers such as Stephen Crane and Ernest Hemingway produced enduring war literature because their work carried authority, emotional truth, and a command of craft.

War, Disappearance, and Family Grief

Carthage centers on the disappearance of Cressida Mayfield and suspicion surrounding Iraq War veteran Corporal Brett Kincaid. Ackerman praises the novel’s portrayal of a family divided by grief, doubt, loyalty, and the desire to believe different versions of the truth.

Where the Novel Loses Authority

Although Ackerman recommends the book, he notes that factual errors involving military terminology, Marine Corps training, and battlefield practices weaken its credibility. These details matter because inaccuracies can distract readers and undermine the authority required of serious war fiction.

Beyond the War Novel

Ackerman concludes that Carthage is strongest when it moves beyond combat and becomes a broader meditation on betrayal, loss, and belief. The best war novels, he argues, ultimately become something larger than war itself.

Read the Original Review

Read “Can Joyce Carol Oates Write a War Novel?” at The Daily Beast →