ckadams5's review against another edition
4.0
This collection of Flannery O'Connor's stories revealed not only the common themes and style of O'Connor's writing (themes like freedom/free will, her use of sarcastic humor, the use of physical deformities to symbolize certain characteristics, etc.) but also her growth as a writer, from her writings as a student at the University of Iowa, until her death twenty years later. There is a sense in which perhaps O'Connor stories might be better enjoyed individually (some of her later writings are re-writes of her earlier works), but there was also value in reading these stories as a large group. I'd love to spend more time reading these stories and discussing them with fellow readers.
kjboldon's review against another edition
5.0
This is a difficult book to read in one go. The stories are rich and complicated, and not easy to digest. I'm splitting it into bunches, having read the thesis group, then the Wise Blood, then the A Good Man, and am taking a break before going into the "Everything Rises" group. The few detractors of this book complain about repetition, but since this was a posthumous compilation of stories, many of which were unpublished in her lifetime, I'm not sure that's a valid critique.
Now that I'm done--it's a great book to read a story at a time in between other works. Her characters and stories are similar in them, but each is different, striking and memorable. The writing and titles are sharp. So glad to have finally read these.
Now that I'm done--it's a great book to read a story at a time in between other works. Her characters and stories are similar in them, but each is different, striking and memorable. The writing and titles are sharp. So glad to have finally read these.
leelulah's review against another edition
5.0
Something about reading this for Lent just fits, I guess. There were few tales that didn't get my attention as much, but these were mainly the ones belonging to Wise Blood. I get the feeling that maybe they make more sense in the context of the novel. I also had to read this with a companion because not being a native speaker of English, unaccostumed to Southern and Black speech and slang made things harder for me. All in all, beautiful, precise and poignant prose from start to finish, and the idea that she wrote with Romans 5,20 at hand every time. It reignites the want to write something, even if I won't be as good.
thegayngelgabriel's review against another edition
5.0
I'm giving this five stars not because it's without flaws, but because there just isn't a bad story in this collection. Just under twenty years of work in this volume, and it's just--extraordinary. My current favorite might be "Good Country People" in large part because of how unusual it is in her oeuvre to write a character like Hulga, and how skillfully she does it.
theremightbecupcakes's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
krablesons's review against another edition
5.0
Flannery Oconnor is amazing.
I was reading this at the same time as other short story collections by Harlan Ellison, Ray Bradbury, Asimov, Ted Chiang which had a lot going on and were amazing in their own right.
I bring them up because a lot of stuff was happening in these sci-fi, speculative fiction stories.
Now,compare that to A Stroke of Good Fortune, which was basically just a pregnant lady walking up a flight of stairs.
I was just as interested in the story about this pregnant lady as I was with stories of alternate universes, martians, dystopian societies etc.
I don't have the tools to describe what makes her stories so compelling, her characters just seem so believable and real and flawed.
She is in my top 5 all time authors now.
I was reading this at the same time as other short story collections by Harlan Ellison, Ray Bradbury, Asimov, Ted Chiang which had a lot going on and were amazing in their own right.
I bring them up because a lot of stuff was happening in these sci-fi, speculative fiction stories.
Now,compare that to A Stroke of Good Fortune, which was basically just a pregnant lady walking up a flight of stairs.
I was just as interested in the story about this pregnant lady as I was with stories of alternate universes, martians, dystopian societies etc.
I don't have the tools to describe what makes her stories so compelling, her characters just seem so believable and real and flawed.
She is in my top 5 all time authors now.
cj82487's review against another edition
4.0
The first O'Connor short story I have read, and one to be remembered. The ending was a surprise considering the build-up and had me laughing a little bit at the naivete of the characters. If all of O'Connor's stories grab my attention as quickly as this one did and end with a slightly humorous ending, I am more than willing to read further.
ajsterkel's review against another edition
3.0
The Good: These stories about life in the rural American South were written between the 1940s and the 1960s. They’re like snapshots of life at the time. Most of the characters are poor southern white farmers who are struggling to adjust to the shifting world. The tension comes from the conflicts between urban and rural, progress vs the old ways. A lot changed during the 20-something years that Flannery O’Connor was publishing. She captures the changes brilliantly. These stories are an important part of the American literary canon because they record life in an honest, unflinching way. Even the ugly parts of American culture (such as racism, greed, and crime) are shown in this collection.
“A Good Man is Hard to Find” is one of my favorite short stories ever. It was forced upon me several times in school, and I liked it more each time I read it. It’s about a family with two quirky children who meet a mass murderer in the middle of nowhere. The reader figures out pretty quickly that the story won’t end well for the family. I like the calm, methodical way that the murderer goes about his business. This is one of those stories that make you stare in stunned silence after you finish it.
The Bad: If you can’t handle the N-word, then you should avoid this collection. Almost all of the white characters are racist.
If I read any of these stories on their own, I probably would have liked them, but I don’t think they work as a collection. They’re too similar. I feel like I read the same story 31 times. The settings and themes are similar. The characters are basically the same people with different names. The older women are judgmental and self-righteous; the men are dead, jerks, or both; the young adults are useless intellectuals; and the black characters are stereotypes. A lot of the stories end with epiphanies. The awful people suddenly realize that they’re awful people. I got bored with the repetition.
The Bottom Line: These stories are a must-read for anyone interested in American history, but maybe you should take long breaks between them. They get tedious quickly.
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“A Good Man is Hard to Find” is one of my favorite short stories ever. It was forced upon me several times in school, and I liked it more each time I read it. It’s about a family with two quirky children who meet a mass murderer in the middle of nowhere. The reader figures out pretty quickly that the story won’t end well for the family. I like the calm, methodical way that the murderer goes about his business. This is one of those stories that make you stare in stunned silence after you finish it.
“‘A good man is hard to find,’ Red Sammy said. ‘Everything is getting terrible. I remember the day you could go off and leave your screen door unlatched. Not no more.’” – The Complete Stories
The Bad: If you can’t handle the N-word, then you should avoid this collection. Almost all of the white characters are racist.
If I read any of these stories on their own, I probably would have liked them, but I don’t think they work as a collection. They’re too similar. I feel like I read the same story 31 times. The settings and themes are similar. The characters are basically the same people with different names. The older women are judgmental and self-righteous; the men are dead, jerks, or both; the young adults are useless intellectuals; and the black characters are stereotypes. A lot of the stories end with epiphanies. The awful people suddenly realize that they’re awful people. I got bored with the repetition.
The Bottom Line: These stories are a must-read for anyone interested in American history, but maybe you should take long breaks between them. They get tedious quickly.
Want to see more reviews? I have a blog!
freder1ck's review against another edition
5.0
8/19/2010. Some friends are presenting an exhibit on Flannery O'Connor at The Meeting in Rimini, Italy this year, "Flannery O'Connor: A Limit with Infinite Measure." So, this is an opportunity for me to read O'Connor again.
booksandbabies's review against another edition
2.0
I dnf'ed it a little over halfway through. I really thought the writing was good and the point of the stories was often very thought provoking but the constant use of the n*-word (or related words) was getting too much for me.
I tried to see the stories in their historical context (1950s southern states) but the negative attitude toward black people was too often in the front of the story and it honestly made me sick. I think by now we are used to when people treat black people badly or speak racist in a book that the point of the story will somehow be related to that theme, but unfortunately that is not a point the stories are trying to make.
I tried to see the stories in their historical context (1950s southern states) but the negative attitude toward black people was too often in the front of the story and it honestly made me sick. I think by now we are used to when people treat black people badly or speak racist in a book that the point of the story will somehow be related to that theme, but unfortunately that is not a point the stories are trying to make.