A review by vivienne11
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

It's rare that any horror novel makes me want to put it down with a shudder but this one accomplished just that. A few scenes are truly disturbing and require a strong stomach. The story moves along quickly even if there are plenty of interruptions by crises of faith which only serve to make the narrative more well rounded. The priests maybe wisecracking chain smokers but it's still a traditional tale of God vs Devil but by no means simplistic. An early adopter of our agnostic anxieties of having to reason with science as much as we just want to give in and surrender to the supernatural. It's a classic for a reason.