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Wise Blood cover art

Wise Blood

By: Flannery O’Connor
Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
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Summary

Flannery O’Connor’s astonishing and haunting first novel is a classic of 20th-century literature. It is the story of Hazel Motes, a 22-year-old caught in an unending struggle against his innate, desperate faith. He falls under the spell of a “blind” street preacher named Asa Hawks and his degenerate 15-year-old daughter.

In an ironic, malicious gesture of his own non-faith, and to prove himself a greater cynic than Hawks, Hazel founds The Church of God Without Christ but is still thwarted in his efforts to lose God. He meets Enoch Emery, a young man with “wise blood,” who leads him to a mummified holy child and whose crazy maneuvers are a manifestation of Hazel’s existential struggles.

This tale of redemption, retribution, false prophets, blindness, and wisdom gives us one of the most riveting characters in American fiction.

©1990 The Estate of Mary Flannery O’Connor (P)2010 Blackstone Audio

Critic reviews

“No other major American writer of our century has constructed a fictional world so energetically and forthrightly charged by religious investigation.” ( The New Yorker)
“There is in Flannery O’Connor a fierceness of literary gesture, an angriness of observation, a facility for catching, as an animal eye in the wilderness, cunningly and at one sharp glance, the shape and detail and animal intention of enemy and foe.” ( The New York Times Book Review)

What listeners say about Wise Blood

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Amazing performance

Brilliantly performed this actor is pitch perfect with all characterisation. Great story very funny. The Coen Brothers would make a great film of it.

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Great narration

Made me despair shallow cultural Christianity that at its best makes people feel better about themselves in a very general way (while still having them heading towards damnation) and at its worst is used self-righteously or cynically for power and wealth. I'm torn on the use of blashpemy and taking the Lord's name in vain, even though it feels suitable to the situation.
A gripping listen. The narrator was great with the voices of the different characters and probably made the story feel even more grotesque than it was on paper, which I found suitable.

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A PROFOUND BOOK

I am at a point in my life where Flannery O'Connor's work is speaking to me. I listened to this a few years ago and watched the faithful movie adaptation and was not that impressed, but now it speaks to a a deep hunger for knowledge of grace, in all its forms.
This is a novel about the trauma of war, the trauma of child abuse and the rejection of something beyond this world and the despair it brings. But don't let that put you off, it is told with very dark humour and Bronson Pinchot performance will leave you with tears of laughter. His brilliant vocal characterisations made me laugh out loud, but his incredible talent could take my breath away in the next sentence. O'Connor is part of the American canon and it takes a truly gifted narrator to bring the words to life. I listened over a two day period and was blown away by it. If you do nothing else this year I do recommend you listen to this brilliant audiobook.

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Great read

A darkly comic and gripping tale of the futility of human existence. A wonderful narration which really gave the characters substance and life.

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American gothic

Great performance. Like glimpsing a man in a gorilla suit within a darkening wood, it gives the sensation of witnessing something mysterious and inexplicable but at the same time hinting of a darker truth.

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Didn’t like this one

Narration was good I couldn’t get into the story.Maybe I’ll try another of her books.

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Superb storytelling. Fabulous narration.

Just discovered Flannery O'Connor and can't wait to read more of her work. Bronson Pinchot is a gifted narrator. Riveting. Highly recommended.

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  • Overall
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Exceptionally brilliant

Religion and redemption, freewill and destiny, isolation and loneliness , the spiritual and the animalistic - this story has it all. Wonderfully performed, this story is darkly comic, unsettling and profound. O'Connor's style is something like Shirley Jackson meets John Steinbeck, I highly recommend this book.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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A real struggle.

I still, at halfway through, have no idea what this book is about. it just goes nowhere. The voice is great, the story is endlessly pointless.

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A story about rebellion and repentance

Well written and read story about faith, religion, rebellion and repentance. It’s interesting characters represent various relations to the religious experience. Well worth the listen.

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