A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

A Prayer for Owen Meany

John Irving

552 pages • first pub 1989 (editions)

fiction literary emotional reflective slow-paced

Description

Owen Meany, the only child of a New Hampshire granite quarrier, believes he is God's instrument. He is.

This is John Irving's most comic novel: yet Owen Meany is Mr. Irving's most heartbreaking character.

Community Reviews Summary of 10,530 reviews

Moods

emotional 81%
reflective 67%
sad 47%
funny 44%
challenging 32%
inspiring 29%
hopeful 24%
dark 17%
mysterious 16%
adventurous 11%
lighthearted 5%
tense 5%
informative 2%
relaxing 2%

Pace

slow 70%
medium 27%
fast 1%

Plot- or character-driven?

Character: 65% | A mix: 28% | Plot: 6%

Strong character development?

Yes: 81% | It's complicated: 13% | No: 4%

Loveable characters?

Yes: 77% | It's complicated: 17% | No: 4%

Diverse cast of characters?

No: 69% | Yes: 20% | It's complicated: 5% | N/A: 4%

Flaws of characters a main focus?

Yes: 60% | It's complicated: 24% | No: 13% | N/A: 1%

Average rating

4.09

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Content Warnings

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