Play Book Tag discussion

The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor
4 stars

This was my first time reading any of O’Connor’s work, and I must admit, I am a huge fan after reading this short story compilation. Her writing is haunting, powerful, and brutally beautiful. I ranked this book 4 stars—the only reason it was not 5 is that some of the stories simply were not as strong or engaging as others. I definitely had favorites. There are 31 stories in all, but my favorites were The Geranium, Everything that Rises Must Converge, Revelation, and Judgment Day.

Perhaps my favorite thing about O’Connor’s writing was the way she utilized voice and perception. Her characters, though in short stories, felt large and realistic. That is not a skill easily attained in the short story form. Her writing pulls you in and shakes you to your core before releasing you again. She also examines and raises questions about race and class that I did not expect, but this was a pleasant surprise.

I also want to point out that if you were looking for a set of heart-warming, feel-good short stories—this is not the book for you! Flannery O’Connor delivers gut punch after beautiful and eloquent gut punch. This is a book to read when you are ready to re-evaluate the way you see and function within this world.