This collection of short stories was published after O'Connor's death in 1965, and the language and themes in the stories focus primarily on racial tensions of the time as well as generation differences of perspective about the changing times. They are all played out in regular everyday situations - riding the bus, tending a farm, chatting with others in the doctor's office waiting room, etc.

Other than the tragic nature of most of the stories, it was a perfect choice for me to read as an audiobook. The descriptions of the characters and situations were terrific, and I probably would have rushed through them to find out the outcome if I had been reading rather than listening.

Two and a half stars really, but I round up.

This is an odd little book. Nearly all the stories have a very similar feel to them, that's not bad (in a collection work), but it feels like a lot of the characters are the same people but with different faces.

It's well written, but lacks excitement. I don't mean explosions or fast paced occurrences, just nothing in particular grabbed me. There's plenty of drama and the lines are witty and thought out. But in the end it felt hollow. The images the stories painted are vivid, but didn't hit me as hard as they probably could have.

I was trying to describe the book to my friend the other day and said, "The stories are boring to read until the end, but they're interesting to talk about afterwards."

Yes, I had to read this for class, and that's what I mean by it's fun to discuss. There's plenty in the stories to talk about, but I think the way O'Conner went about writing them was just bland, for lack of a better word.

I felt the same way when I read Wise Blood and couldn't finish that. It had its moments, but I got frustrated by not getting any kind of enjoyment out of it. I may go back and try to read it again. Possibly age or life experiences could help me get through it.

So overall, I didn't care for this book. It had potential, but it stopped short before it could be realized. Would I recommend it to someone? Most likely, yes. If they want a book with many layers and something Southern. Though I would probably suggest Faulkner before O'Connor if it was a Southern thing.


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I reread this book in 2021. Six years later. I still feel the same way as I did before when I read this book. It was a lot of potential that didn’t go anywhere.

For myself, this is a hyped-up book. O’Connor can certainly write very well, and as stated above, she really shines in parts. If you enjoy her writing, you’ll most certainly enjoy this, but for me, I was pushing myself towards the end just to finish it.

As far as reviews go, I now give it a three and a half star rating. One step above what I said previously. Who knows, maybe in a few years I’ll read it again and finally the light bulb will go off of what I’ve been missing.

During this reading, I kept pondering how would O’Connor’s writing career would have went if she had lived longer or not gotten sick at all. How would she have improved and what kind of stories would she have tackled. She may very well have stuck to what she knew, but one can’t help but wonder.

What a brave writer Ms O'Connor was. Her intensity can be felt in every word. Rage, despair, fear, and the slow awfulness of life, all written down in stories that, without exception, left me feeling thoughtfully horrified.

Mostly great collection of bleak Southern short stories

Flannery O'Connor is hilarious and savage at the same time. She is an absolute master of the short story. I listened to the audiobook published by Blackstone Publishing, and the narrators really brought these stories to life. I will be thinking about these characters for a long time.

4,5 tal vez; sería un 5 porque confirma lo poco que sabía de ella: Flannery O'Connor (1925-1964) es una cronista imprescindible del sur profundo, que narra los anhelos, las miserias, la religiosidad (o falta de ella) de los blancos de clase baja (white trash) en una sociedad segregada. Su escritura es perfecta, casi quirúrgica, despojada de artificios.
Pero pierde algo de valoración por lo deprimente que resulta. Su análisis de la condición humana es demoledor. Como dijo otro lector, todos y cada uno de sus cuentos se podrían titular 'This is not gonna end well'.