Book Review: Wise Blood

October 13th, 2008

Wise Blood: A Novel
Author: Flannery O’Connor
Paperback: 232 pages
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (March 6, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0374530637
ISBN-13: 978-0374530631

Amazon Link

This is the first book I have read in my list of 100 Best Novels.

Wow, just wow. This may have been the strangest book I have ever read. The main character is a bizarre man named Hazel Motes. He spends the duration of the book trying to convince himself and others that Jesus is a fraud, and that we have no need for redemption, while at the same time seeking redemption as hard as any man could. Motes is a very interesting character. His actions are weird, and as one who generally roots for characters I like, I found myself wishing that he would take a different path at every turn it seemed.

I would not say that I liked or disliked this book. Reading it was not about that. Yes it was entertaining, provocative, and enthralling, but the book was also offensive, disjointed at times, and just completely strange. When I was finished reading it, I just sat there for a while wondering how the author thought up such a story.

This is the first Southern Gothic novel I have read. It is a very interesting genre. The “grotesque” characters in the book were amazing. The book was more than just a show of ugly people however. It is philosophical in nature, but it is going to take some time for me to figure out exactly what the philosophy is.

The n-word is used repeatedly throughout the book, but would be normal for the Southern locale shortly after World War 2. It also helps portray the character’s outlook. I found their interactions to be quite depressing at times. They were indeed, grotesque, to each other more often than not. Their seemed to be an overarching paranoia between the actors.

Overall it was a good read. The book is fairly short, so if it sounds interesting go for it! You won’t have to invest much time into this one.

Categories: Books | Tags: , ,

« Reading List
First Impressions »

2 Comments

  1. Reading List | Guns and Guts October 20th, 2008

    [...] AUSTERLITZ by W. G. Sebald THE TRIAL by Franz Kafka WISE BLOOD by Flannery O’Connor - Completed - Review FRANKENSTEIN by Mary Shelley - Currently Reading! ~ Compiled by Leisa L. [...]

  2. whistilia December 17th, 2008

    Хорошая статья :) Вот только не нашел ссылку на РСС блога?

Leave a comment