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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
A collection of short stories from later in the author's life, published after her death.
I didn't care for these; they have undeniable craft, but...the chortling delight at exposing hypocrisy that I found in A Good Man Is Hard to Find is almost completely gone here. It's a collection of stories about unpleasant people doing ironically unpleasant things to each other, and calling it "grace." I've followed a fair number of Catholic authors--I know the tendency to embrace the unpleasant in service of the divine--but this just left me tired and dejected. People suck, yes? Okay. Got it. I get that the stories are satire, but some types of satire just do this to me, I think.
My experience with the major Flannery O'Connor works (which I've now read all four; I'm not doing essays or the complete stories) is that I loved Good Man, quite enjoyed Violent Bear It Away, and could have skipped Wise Blood and Rises/Converge.
I recommend starting with A Good Man Is Hard to Find, and only tracking down the other works if you fansquee over that; however, each work has its own view on life, so liking one isn't a guarantee on the others.
I didn't care for these; they have undeniable craft, but...the chortling delight at exposing hypocrisy that I found in A Good Man Is Hard to Find is almost completely gone here. It's a collection of stories about unpleasant people doing ironically unpleasant things to each other, and calling it "grace." I've followed a fair number of Catholic authors--I know the tendency to embrace the unpleasant in service of the divine--but this just left me tired and dejected. People suck, yes? Okay. Got it. I get that the stories are satire, but some types of satire just do this to me, I think.
My experience with the major Flannery O'Connor works (which I've now read all four; I'm not doing essays or the complete stories) is that I loved Good Man, quite enjoyed Violent Bear It Away, and could have skipped Wise Blood and Rises/Converge.
I recommend starting with A Good Man Is Hard to Find, and only tracking down the other works if you fansquee over that; however, each work has its own view on life, so liking one isn't a guarantee on the others.
This collection of short stories was published after O'Connor's death in 1965, and the language and themes in the stories focus primarily on racial tensions of the time as well as generation differences of perspective about the changing times. They are all played out in regular everyday situations - riding the bus, tending a farm, chatting with others in the doctor's office waiting room, etc.
Other than the tragic nature of most of the stories, it was a perfect choice for me to read as an audiobook. The descriptions of the characters and situations were terrific, and I probably would have rushed through them to find out the outcome if I had been reading rather than listening.
Other than the tragic nature of most of the stories, it was a perfect choice for me to read as an audiobook. The descriptions of the characters and situations were terrific, and I probably would have rushed through them to find out the outcome if I had been reading rather than listening.
Two and a half stars really, but I round up.
This is an odd little book. Nearly all the stories have a very similar feel to them, that's not bad (in a collection work), but it feels like a lot of the characters are the same people but with different faces.
It's well written, but lacks excitement. I don't mean explosions or fast paced occurrences, just nothing in particular grabbed me. There's plenty of drama and the lines are witty and thought out. But in the end it felt hollow. The images the stories painted are vivid, but didn't hit me as hard as they probably could have.
I was trying to describe the book to my friend the other day and said, "The stories are boring to read until the end, but they're interesting to talk about afterwards."
Yes, I had to read this for class, and that's what I mean by it's fun to discuss. There's plenty in the stories to talk about, but I think the way O'Conner went about writing them was just bland, for lack of a better word.
I felt the same way when I read Wise Blood and couldn't finish that. It had its moments, but I got frustrated by not getting any kind of enjoyment out of it. I may go back and try to read it again. Possibly age or life experiences could help me get through it.
So overall, I didn't care for this book. It had potential, but it stopped short before it could be realized. Would I recommend it to someone? Most likely, yes. If they want a book with many layers and something Southern. Though I would probably suggest Faulkner before O'Connor if it was a Southern thing.
—————————————
I reread this book in 2021. Six years later. I still feel the same way as I did before when I read this book. It was a lot of potential that didn’t go anywhere.
For myself, this is a hyped-up book. O’Connor can certainly write very well, and as stated above, she really shines in parts. If you enjoy her writing, you’ll most certainly enjoy this, but for me, I was pushing myself towards the end just to finish it.
As far as reviews go, I now give it a three and a half star rating. One step above what I said previously. Who knows, maybe in a few years I’ll read it again and finally the light bulb will go off of what I’ve been missing.
During this reading, I kept pondering how would O’Connor’s writing career would have went if she had lived longer or not gotten sick at all. How would she have improved and what kind of stories would she have tackled. She may very well have stuck to what she knew, but one can’t help but wonder.
This is an odd little book. Nearly all the stories have a very similar feel to them, that's not bad (in a collection work), but it feels like a lot of the characters are the same people but with different faces.
It's well written, but lacks excitement. I don't mean explosions or fast paced occurrences, just nothing in particular grabbed me. There's plenty of drama and the lines are witty and thought out. But in the end it felt hollow. The images the stories painted are vivid, but didn't hit me as hard as they probably could have.
I was trying to describe the book to my friend the other day and said, "The stories are boring to read until the end, but they're interesting to talk about afterwards."
Yes, I had to read this for class, and that's what I mean by it's fun to discuss. There's plenty in the stories to talk about, but I think the way O'Conner went about writing them was just bland, for lack of a better word.
I felt the same way when I read Wise Blood and couldn't finish that. It had its moments, but I got frustrated by not getting any kind of enjoyment out of it. I may go back and try to read it again. Possibly age or life experiences could help me get through it.
So overall, I didn't care for this book. It had potential, but it stopped short before it could be realized. Would I recommend it to someone? Most likely, yes. If they want a book with many layers and something Southern. Though I would probably suggest Faulkner before O'Connor if it was a Southern thing.
—————————————
I reread this book in 2021. Six years later. I still feel the same way as I did before when I read this book. It was a lot of potential that didn’t go anywhere.
For myself, this is a hyped-up book. O’Connor can certainly write very well, and as stated above, she really shines in parts. If you enjoy her writing, you’ll most certainly enjoy this, but for me, I was pushing myself towards the end just to finish it.
As far as reviews go, I now give it a three and a half star rating. One step above what I said previously. Who knows, maybe in a few years I’ll read it again and finally the light bulb will go off of what I’ve been missing.
During this reading, I kept pondering how would O’Connor’s writing career would have went if she had lived longer or not gotten sick at all. How would she have improved and what kind of stories would she have tackled. She may very well have stuck to what she knew, but one can’t help but wonder.
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a brave writer Ms O'Connor was. Her intensity can be felt in every word. Rage, despair, fear, and the slow awfulness of life, all written down in stories that, without exception, left me feeling thoughtfully horrified.
challenging
dark
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
O’Connor’s writing is efficient and evocative. Each story took me on a journey; I knew each character from jump and the plots felt like runaway train cars (in an exciting way). That said, coming at it in 2025, I struggled with her portrayal of non-white people in particular. Different time, but hard to reckon with nonetheless.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
One story in which no one dies, lol
Flannery O'Connor is hilarious and savage at the same time. She is an absolute master of the short story. I listened to the audiobook published by Blackstone Publishing, and the narrators really brought these stories to life. I will be thinking about these characters for a long time.