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Wise Blood
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
Wise Blood, Flannery O'Connor's astonishing and haunting first novel, is a classic of twentieth-century literature. Focused on the story of Hazel Motes, a twenty-two-year-old caught in an unending struggle against his innate, desperate fate, this tale of redemption, retribution, false prophets, blindness, blindings, and wisdoms gives us one of the most riveting characters in twentieth-century American fiction.
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review
Michael_Gee
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Pickpick

Quick & purposeful, though the story gives the impression of a meandering journey. The last few chapters startled & kept me up last night to finish the book.

The descriptions are jarring, often comic, but also unsettling: A woman getting out of a pool is something monstrous. A preacher carries Jesus in his head “like a stinger.” Cat-faced babies. The sky is a “surly gray like the back of an old goat.”

First read of 2022.

SRWCF Whoa. Cool 😎 descriptions! 3y
vivastory I definitely plan on reading some of her stories this year 3y
readordierachel I read this one years ago and still think about it. Also, I dig this cover. Haven't seen this version before. 3y
See All 9 Comments
Michael_Gee @SRWCF Yeah! There were so many. I kept stopping and rereading. 3y
Michael_Gee @vivastory I look forward to your posts, Scott! 3y
vivastory @readordierachel I was just about to comment on the cover. 🤘 3y
Michael_Gee @readordierachel I believe that! I know I‘ll be thinking about it for awhile because I didn‘t fully “get it.” This edition (falling apart, btw, I hot-glued the cover to the spine!) has a brief intro by O‘Connor that is so deep it intimidated me going into the novel. Lots to think about! 3y
Reggie I‘ve only read one of her short stories, A Good Man is Hard to Find, back and college and it hit hard in the gut. I should try more of her. Great review. 3y
Michael_Gee @Reggie That‘s all I‘d read of her, too, and felt similarly. Stuck with me. I‘d like to read more of her short stories. 3y
29 likes9 comments
blurb
Michael_Gee
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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When a book references a book you‘ve read it lends color, context, & references that deepen the experience. When a book references a book you HAVEN‘T read & you then read it, the inverse happens & a funny reverse palimpsest occurs. So this 1952 novel is overlaid with the gritty 90‘s influence of The Cipher & I‘m thinking of a blacked-out Nicholas reading O‘Connor in the squalor of his apartment & writing poetry he‘ll destroy before he sobers up.

Michael_Gee As I wrote, “Heresy” by Nine Inch Nails was blaring: “God is dead and no one cares!” Which fits both books. (edited) 3y
27 likes1 comment
quote
Michael_Gee
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Her name was Maude and she drank whisky all day from a fruit jar under the counter.

Michael_Gee “There ain‘t anything sweeter than a clean boy. God for my witness. And I know a clean one when I see him and I know a son a bitch when I see him and there‘s a heap of difference and that puss-marked bastard zlurping through that straw is a goddamn son a bitch and you a clean boy had better mind how you keep him company. I know a clean boy when I see one.” - Maude 3y
Suet624 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 3y
30 likes2 comments
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literateBee
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor

I prefer her short stories, but am glad to have read this one.

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madamereadsalot1
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Pickpick

How can I explain my affection for this book and still be seen as reasonable and sane? This is a trainwreck. Hazle is a mess, Enoch is a mess, Asa and Sabbath are a mess. Everyone is an absolute, diabolical mess. This is considered a "low comedy" but your humor really has to be something special if you see it as such. I don't know why I fell for this book. It's unexpected and inexplicable and disturbed and just amazing.

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underthebelljar
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Mehso-so

What the F did I just read.
Don‘t know how I feel about this. I know I didn‘t enjoy it. It‘s not enjoyable book and I think that was the point. If you feel like you‘ve been too happy and need to bring yourself down a few notches here‘s the book for you.
Southern gothic, absurdist fever dream, with Jesus sprinkled throughout. There‘s def a lot to unpack here but real hard for me to get past the utter wackiness and utter despair the story exudes.

underthebelljar #unpopularopinion 🤷🏻‍♀️ sorry guys 😕 5y
mom2bugnbee Is that an unpopular opinion? I know a lot of people (myself included) who feel this way about Flannery O'Connor. 5y
Crazeedi That's Flannery for you 5y
underthebelljar @mom2bugnbee @Crazeedi Well I feel a little better now! All I had seen about O‘Connor was rave reviews so I thought maybe I just wasn‘t *getting* her work. Good to know I‘m not alone. Her unique style is definitely not for me... 5y
34 likes4 comments
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underthebelljar
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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So I‘m about 100 pages in now... I think I‘m picking up on the themes and deeper meaning but I still am just confused by the unreality and weirdness of the story. It‘s reading like a strange Southern fever dream.

29 likes1 stack add
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underthebelljar
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Just started this and finished the first chapter... honestly though I‘m a bit confused...I feel like I missed some deeper meaning that went over my head..

31 likes1 stack add
quote
Bertha_Mason
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor

"Who better to lead the blind than the blind, who knew what it was like?"

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Bertha_Mason
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor

"He looked like an ex-preacher turned cowboy, or an ex-cowboy turned mortician." ?⚰

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Bertha_Mason
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor

"He had the feeling that everything he saw was a broken-off piece of some giant blank thing that he had forgotten had happened to him."

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madamereadsalot1
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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WanderingBookaneer
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Striking cover!

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baldgurl
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
Pickpick

A look at the ideas of faith and the Calvanistic determinism found in parts of it.

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twohectobooks
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Pickpick

Wish I hadn‘t read the back blurb on this because it spoils the atmosphere a bit. Anyway, my first time reading Flannery O‘Connor and I had high expectations that she managed to meet. This is the kind of « religious » fiction I love, ie all about the struggle to have faith, and in this case the struggle to abandon it. It‘s pretty dark and devastating, but with an undercurrent of black humour.

suvata ♥️ Flannery 7y
19 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Abailliekaras
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Mehso-so

Young Hazel preaches a church without Christ to a small town filled with surly characters. A charlatan preacher, his daughter & a strange boy with ‘wise blood‘ cross paths. Taut writing & a sense of menace in this town with cynical preachers selling lies. I liked Hazel‘s philosophy of truth: ‘in yourself right now is all the place you‘ve got.‘ But the southern Gothic darkness was oppressive. Pic: church near us (Adelaide, City of Churches). 😉⛪️

Cinfhen Nice review☺️ 7y
Abailliekaras @Cinfhen thanks! One of those books that I think is very strong, but didn‘t enjoy reading it. Always tricky to review! 😬 7y
Cinfhen Yes!! It's hard to be objective sometimes 😉but you did a really good job!! 7y
39 likes3 comments
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twohectobooks
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Enoch was usually thinking of something else at the moment that Fate began drawing back her leg to kick him.

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twohectobooks
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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#twentyfour books from my #tbr shelf (there‘s a third shelf below these two!). #novemberbythenumbers

bentchbites I love your shelf! ❤️❤️❤️ 7y
10 likes2 comments
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Echo
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Thrift store find!

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lyssamez
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
Pickpick

An interesting novel. I love O'Connor's writing and her look at religion was riveting.

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Kathrin
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Panpan

Well, I finished it, but I honestly have no clue was this book was supposed to be about.

I finished up the book while flying out of Puebla with perfect view of the volcano.

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StephanieY
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Tfw you realize your Warby Parker try ons are the same frames on the cover of the book you're reading... #bookface

6 likes3 stack adds
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Kathrin
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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I have a feeling, that all of these will come in on the same day.

Megabooks Yes, they probably will. #overdriveproblems 7y
Hooked_on_books I actually had to suspend a couple of my holds for a few weeks to try to prevent this very thing. 7y
19 likes2 comments
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rlkelly92
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
Pickpick

Wonderful, darkly humorous meditation on religion as a matter of life and death in pursuit of truth.

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BarbaraBB
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Panpan

Hazel Motes, 24 years old, comes back from the war in Europe to the American South. His home is gone and so are his illusions. Having little left to believe in, he becomes a priest for the 'Church without Christ'. This is a rather unconventional message in the South and one hard to sell. What's more, all the people he meets seem to come out of a freak show. No love for Haze, no light, no luck. Just bitter humor. #1001books

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Billypar
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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The angry WWII vet turned street preacher Hazel Motes pops off the page in his efforts to recruit the unfaithful for his new 'Church of Christ without Christ'. O'Connor's novel is as memorable as they come and a shout-out to @ReadingEnvy for putting FOC in my head- your description of her short stories in the last podcast made me laugh- spot-on😀 #Hallejulah #Junetunz @Cinfhen

Cinfhen Haven't read this collection but your blurb is brilliant 🤣 7y
saresmoore Love this! 7y
Billypar @saresmoore I really enjoyed your conversation- I definitely made a few new additions to the TBR. Nice variety and great to hear both of your insights into the picks! ☺ @ReadingEnvy 7y
See All 6 Comments
saresmoore Thank you! Book discussion is the best kind. 🙂 7y
Leftcoastzen Wise Blood will always stick with me ,etched in my brain .Weird and powerful. 7y
Billypar @Leftcoastzen So true- I love her short fiction too but this one is my favorite. There's nothing else like it, and it couldn't be more relevant to issues that polarize our society today. 7y
13 likes6 comments
review
Demanda
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Pickpick

You can't get any better than O'Connor when it comes to southern gothic. Longing for my university days and stuffy lit profs to debate with after finishing this one.

LitLogophile I know I've read a good one when I wish I had the opportunity to be in literature classes again to discuss it 😂 8y
Demanda @lostlogophile Right?! I wanna go back to school 😭😭😭 8y
Hobbinol She's one of my very favorite authors!❤️❤️❤️ 8y
40 likes1 stack add3 comments
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ElizaTodd
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Received this copy of Wise Blood in the mail last week and forgot to post about it until now. Not only do I now own one of my favorite high school reads, I also own another book that I can successfully do #bookface with 😄👏🏼

55 likes1 stack add
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m.galehuxley
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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I didn't read much Southern Gothic literature growing up because I avoided anything to do with my southern roots. Now, I'm becoming more interested in it because I understand the culture and appreciate the darkness. I guess it took leaving the country to connect with my home. I loved this book. Her sentences are intelligent and lovely, even when the subject matter is not so pretty.

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AshleyHoss820
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Mehso-so

This was better, for me, than The Violent Bear it Away. O'Connor's a tough read. I don't remember much about the plot, but I do remember it was an interesting read. (I read this about a year and a half ago.) 75/1,001 #1001Books

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SagaReads
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
Bailedbailed

WHAT THE HELL WAS THIS BOOK??? I had to read it for my english class and didn't make it to the end because literally nothing happens in it. Honestly - if Motes handed me quicklime, I'd take it just so Id never have to look at this book again. Like The Violent Bear It Away, it was a classic for Southern Gothic, but don't try and read this for leisure. Just don't.

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Mysti_Ink
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
Pickpick

Very interesting read but I would expect no less from O'Connor.

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Mysti_Ink
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor

Currently in the middle of this novel and in typical O'Connor fashion I'm not sure what is happening. I'm sure that by the end of this novel I'll be raving about how amazing it truly is...

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ElizaTodd
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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38 likes1 stack add
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ElizaTodd
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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One of my favorite classics! I loved this book so much in high school and I've read it two more times since then on PDF because I unfortunately still don't own this book! #wiseblood #flanneryoconnor #somethingforsept #day13 #septphotochallenge #favclassic

Hobbinol I ❤️Flannery! 8y
27 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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LauraJ
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Pickpick

My first Flannery! Love the writing and characters.

MrBook Cool cover too! 😻 8y
29 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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LauraJ
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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My first Flannery. Love her descriptions.

17 likes1 stack add
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LauraJ
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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I was really well-behaved this month. Wise Blood was an #impulsebuy because you should all heap Litten scorn upon me for not having read any Flannery. #idiot 😳 Everything else was from the library. #augustofpages #augusthaul

Shortstack I've not read Rise Blood!! Can't wait to hear what you think! Love Flannery though!! 8y
19 likes1 comment
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Bookdodger
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Descriptions like this make me stop and think, "How perfect! How did she ever think of this?"

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Bookdodger
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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#2 for me is Flannery O'Connor's Wise Blood. So far it is very Faulknerian but wonderful imagery.

Titania So very Southern Gothic. Brilliance! 8y
6 likes1 comment
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Emmeline
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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review
Minervasbutler
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
Mehso-so

I tried to enjoy this, but I had the same problem I have with Faulkner - the characters and setting are just so alien to me that it left me cold.

10 likes1 stack add
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Waynegjr
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Holy crap is this a good looking cover.

“Later he saw Jesus move from tree to tree in the back of his mind, a wild ragged figure motioning him to turn around and come off into the dark where he might be walking on the water and not know it and then suddenly know it and drown.”

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autumnprivett
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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Pickpick

This is a difficult book. Most of the characters are unlikable. The plot is depressing. That said, it's a novel about what happens when a person tries to believe in nothing. But more than that, it is a strong critique on the wrongs played out every day, in ordinary ways, in the South.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

BookishFeminist Love Flannery O'Connor so much. 💙💜💚 Haven't read this one yet; I'll have to check it out! 9y
autumnprivett @BookishFeminist She's everything. 😍 It's different from her short stories, but still thought provoking. 9y
CillainWonderland I can only think of one thing when I see this book and its: gorilla suit. This novel made a serious impression on me when I read it in my Intro to Lit class. Even after several years, I'm not sure how I felt about it- other than walking away with a deep appreciation for her prose and style. 9y
See All 9 Comments
autumnprivett @CillainWonderland Oh the gorilla suit. 😂 I feel similarly. It sticks with you. 9y
PurityofEssence Flannery is just the best, and Wise Blood introduced me to her writing. @autumnprivett have you seen the film adaptation of Wise Blood? It's directed by John Huston and features some great acting. I recommend it 👍 (FYI it's on Hulu if you're curious.) 9y
autumnprivett @PurityofEssence I haven't seen it, but I want to watch ASAP. Thanks for the Hulu tip! 9y
PurityofEssence @autumnprivett Of course! It's also worth mentioning that it's put out by Criterion, which means it's a beautiful release: https://www.criterion.com/films/1424-wise-blood 9y
autumnprivett @PurityofEssence If you love Criterion, then check out www.filmstruck.com 9y
PurityofEssence @autumnprivett I hoard criterions 😅 and I can't wait to check out FilmStruck! I'm have no doubt it will earn a place into my rotation of streaming services. 👍 9y
61 likes32 stack adds9 comments
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Baileythebookworm
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
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I visited Flannery O'Connor's childhood home in Savannah, GA in late 2014 and bought basically her entire body of work. She made the news as a child for teaching a chicken to walk backwards.

shawnmooney So Michael Jackson stole the idea, hey? Who knew! 9y
kdwinchester @autumnprivett Will prob fan girl about this. :P 9y
autumnprivett Yes!! She is everything. 9y
Baileythebookworm She was so neat 😊 9y
6 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Ukulelebob
Wise Blood: A Novel | Flannery O'Connor
Pickpick

I was assigned this book to read In high school and I remember thinking although this is an excellent quality book, who in there right mind thinks emotionally unstable teenagers need to read Flannery O'conner. I'm not down with censorship but O'conner is grade A depressing.