Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
I have rarely been so bored while waiting to be scared. If you want long and scary, pick up House of Leaves or IT.
The last like 40-50 pages of this book are an intense & thrilling ride. One of the reasons I enjoy rereading this one each year.
Not fully sure of the rating yet, I’m going to sleep on it. I wouldn’t say it scared me per se, but I really enjoyed the story, how disturbing it was, and the ending was impactful. I also enjoyed the struggle with faith and trying to rationalize things that can’t easily be explained.
Edit: I’m landing on 4.25. It feels wrong to give it just 4 stars for some reason lol
Edit: I’m landing on 4.25. It feels wrong to give it just 4 stars for some reason lol
The cable TV edited version of the Exorcist was something I watched on repeat growing up. To the point that it gives more comfort than scary vibes. I picked up this novel for the Spooky season. This book terrified audiences when it was published in the early '70s. Some have identified The Exorcist as influencer to the satanic panic of the '80s.
The downside of the book is that it's dated. Possession and religious exorcism has become a horror trope. It is set in a time gone by - world without personal computer/cell phones, Catholic Church is a respected institution and twelve year old girls are still viewed as children. You see the anxiety over the American family unit with Chris's divorce and Regon's absent father. Perhaps demon possession is worth a phone call? Our culture has changed on the topic of divorce.
The book starts slow then slowly builds, like the movie. Unlike the movie the exorcism is a smaller part of the book. The large chunk is Father Karras researching Regan and struggling with the decision to actually ask for an exorcism due to his lack of faith.
Despite all of this I found it enjoyable and spooky.
The downside of the book is that it's dated. Possession and religious exorcism has become a horror trope. It is set in a time gone by - world without personal computer/cell phones, Catholic Church is a respected institution and twelve year old girls are still viewed as children. You see the anxiety over the American family unit with Chris's divorce and Regon's absent father. Perhaps demon possession is worth a phone call? Our culture has changed on the topic of divorce.
The book starts slow then slowly builds, like the movie. Unlike the movie the exorcism is a smaller part of the book. The large chunk is Father Karras researching Regan and struggling with the decision to actually ask for an exorcism due to his lack of faith.
Despite all of this I found it enjoyable and spooky.
well if you've seen the movie more than once like moi this was uh. kind of a bore. would LOVE to read the author's sources though, seems like he did a fun research for this book!
I started reading this book thinking it would be a good scary story about demon possession. Little did I know it was filled with explicit sexual language. I'm certainly no pride, but I was caught off gaurs by the obscenity of this book. I enjoyed reading about the effects on the priest, and overall liked the book. I just would have preferred less obscenity.
You'd think with a perfect rating this would be where I go on about how much better the book is than the movie, but no, they're both solid bangers. The film is a fantastic adaptation of the source material. I would honestly go far enough to say that this might be the best book to film adaptation I've experienced personally. The book and the film both just straight up rock.
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
The Exorcist has some of the richest, most beautifully evocative writing I've ever read. Places and people are illustrated with a depth and colour that injects them with life and gives them a distinct feeling and presence whenever they're discussed or introduced.
The dialogue is so natural and human, full of flaws and intonation that makes each conversation feel utterly believable, even in the face of paranormal occurrences and the depths of despair that are reached at points.
When I first started reading I was captivated by the opening, only to then, admittedly, lose a bit of interest on arrival to Washington DC. However, it only took a little bit of perseverance to be reunited with the atmosphere and character that made the opening as powerful as it was, and the book doesn't let up from there.
I've heard that Legion doesn't manage to capture the quality of the Exorcist, and so I'm wary to read it, but at the very least I know that I've seen the peak of what WPB has to offer, and I was not left disappointed.
The dialogue is so natural and human, full of flaws and intonation that makes each conversation feel utterly believable, even in the face of paranormal occurrences and the depths of despair that are reached at points.
When I first started reading I was captivated by the opening, only to then, admittedly, lose a bit of interest on arrival to Washington DC. However, it only took a little bit of perseverance to be reunited with the atmosphere and character that made the opening as powerful as it was, and the book doesn't let up from there.
I've heard that Legion doesn't manage to capture the quality of the Exorcist, and so I'm wary to read it, but at the very least I know that I've seen the peak of what WPB has to offer, and I was not left disappointed.