Reviews

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

angiecaedis's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

hviid's review against another edition

fast-paced

2.0

frankikaos's review against another edition

4.0

I've never seen the film so even though I have a good idea of what this book would be about and how it would read I was able to enjoy it on a different level.
Absolutely compelling, I ate it up - such a well thought out and well written book!

sade's review against another edition

5.0

At a complete loss for words. When you read books like this you get a sense of why it's referred to as a classic.

The Exorcist is a compelling tale of demonic possesion of a young girl and the priests who fight for her life and Blatty was so vivid with this tale it was unreal. side note: I'm not sure why it didn't occur to me before, but it struck me that this book was less about the possesion and more about the priests (I know it's in the title but still...it just goes over your head)
Given that this book was released a long ass time ago, i'm especially grateful that the author was responsible? in writing this book (Basically cover all medical grounds), this was an especially HUGE plus for me especially as there are so many religious people who are more than willing to eschew medical advice simply because, religion.

Anyways personal issues aside, this book is truly a vivid and electricifying tale that inspite of all the years has not lost it's ability to captivate.

Read it if you haven't.
p.p.s: Don't play with ouija boards....

jk_nojoke's review against another edition

5.0

This was the first book I can remember not wanting to put down. I read it when I was in middle school.

absoluteabsolem's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

3.5

i struggled a bit with chris' POV but every chapter with damien is incredible and i just couldn't put the book down whenever he was talking with the demon inside regan. and merrin ! he doesn't get a lot of screen-time but he has an unreal kind of presence that just reels you in. i will be reading legion very soon. great book

chloeardd's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

lmskikun's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

natfoster's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Body horror, Sexual violence, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Excrement, Alcoholism, Ableism, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Medical trauma, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, and Vomit

This book would be excellent if not for two specific scenes involving CSA (by the "demon") and while some may argue they're needed for the horror, I would argue that there's never a need for an adult male author to imagine a 12yo girl inserting things into her vagina against her will. And it could be argued that it was a different time but by then I'm wondering why you're arguing so hard in favor of graphic CSA scenes. It's sus.

ashcid's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

“For I think belief in God is not a matter of reason at all; I think it finally is a matter of love: of accepting the possibility that God could ever love us.” 

Words cannot describe how grotesque this book is, if you like to be 😦 every second then this would do it! It was honestly very enjoyable, the characters were full of depth and personality (even when possessed).