greatexpectations77 's review for:

Everything That Rises Must Converge by Flannery O'Connor

2.75

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This was my first O'Connor, and I'm not sure that I'll return. Ms. O'Connor wrote well - there's no denying that. But it comes to that question where if one writes nine stories about horrible, classist, cruel bigots, does that mean that one might have much in common with those bigots? I guess in the past, because the writing was good, Lit Folks saw the stories as extreme on purpose to give a moral message. But that's a little harder to argue alongside the letters from Ms. O'Connor that have been more recently made public. Maybe one day, I'll have a more nuanced reading of this work, but currently I'm not finding it either fun nor thought-provoking. And it's just CHOCK full of racial slurs. Sooooo no thanks.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Alcohol

Minor: Suicide attempt

I just felt like this had the angry energy of Fox News, and I didn't like that.