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Exorcist William P Blatty 9780552147750 Books

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Exorcist William P Blatty 9780552147750 Books

It is not a challenging read -- it breezes past. But it's probably also the first book I was actively afraid to read close to the time I sleep, because I really didn't need the images appearing in my dreams. It's unsettling, and vile at times. Casual off-hand remarks to diarrhea I think should set the picture for the sort of imagery you'll have to wade through.

At its core, though, it's such a Catholic book. Part is about poor Regan's fight with a demon styling himself as "Captain Howdy," but it's mostly the dark night of Father Karras's soul. After the death of his mother (whom he feels he let down), his faith is shot. Compounded with his training as a psychiatrist, he is in a hell of a dilemma with Regan's case -- he so badly wants to believe she is possessed and the Devil is real and so is God, but he so badly wants to believe he's not nuts and this is a girl undergoing an extreme case of psychic breakdown. Every single sign that this is a genuine devil comes with just enough doubt that I even started wondering, "...could she just be crazy?"

I'm quibbling a little with the rating, though. The last chapter was...eh. I despise when authors feel the need to beat you over the head with "See? This could mean one of two things:..." But, for its faults, it succeeds in troubling the soul (just as Blatty and Captain Howdy want): if Regan is possessed, how could God do this to her and her family? If she isn't...there is something really dark at the bottom of even a young child's soul. It spooked me a bit. It wins.

Minor tangent I'd like to touch on: the most odd object in this book is Detective Kinderman. His mannerisms, modest demeanor belying a sharp cunning, and self-deprecating humor is so startlingly like my favorite TV character, Columbo -- in fact, so alike that Blatty accuses the show's creators of lifting his character -- that it struck me to find him in the midst of a quite unsettling book.


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Exorcist William P Blatty 9780552147750 Books Reviews

So much has been written about this book and subsequent movie. As the description says, The Exorcist is a part of our culture, not to mention it's spawned hundreds-maybe even thousands-of imitations. I first read the novel while in school, then went to see the terrifying William Friedkin movie by myself. Like so many others at the time, I had nightmares for a week. Imagine having grown up with stories featuring vampires, zombies, and mutants. Then, this powerhouse of a tale comes along about a non-religious young girl who unwittingly invites a demon into her house courtesy of a Ouija board. Now, today that may seem tame, given that we've become inured to evil courtesy of television series like Supernatural. But back in the day, this was Grade-A horror, my friend.

What I loved most about the book when I first read it-and what I cherish now-is how real the characters seem. The author, William Peter Blatty, was a graduate of Georgetown University and knew well the world of Jesuit priests. For my money, he did a marvelous job of delving into their humor, their disappointments, and their loneliness. And when he takes a tortured soul like Damien Karras, a priest who is also a brilliant psychologist, and puts him in a room with Satan, well… Let's just say things get really interesting.

One more thing. In rereading the novel and recalling Lee J. Cobb's excellent screen portrayal of Kinderman, I was happily reminded that the author had quite a sense of humor. To me, his dogged cop is Columbo if he'd been Jewish. Seeing this weary flat-foot spar with the dour priest is nothing short of magical.

As bad as things get for the girl, Regan, and her mother, Chris, Blatty gives us hope that God will prevail in the end. Without that, this story would have been nihilistic and pointless. An exercise in demonic torture porn. So, whether you are a person of faith or not, if you enjoy horror that is smart, funny, and mind-numbingly scary, I heartily recommend this book. And if, like me, you're Catholic, be sure to keep a Rosary on your nightstand.
It is not a challenging read -- it breezes past. But it's probably also the first book I was actively afraid to read close to the time I sleep, because I really didn't need the images appearing in my dreams. It's unsettling, and vile at times. Casual off-hand remarks to diarrhea I think should set the picture for the sort of imagery you'll have to wade through.

At its core, though, it's such a Catholic book. Part is about poor Regan's fight with a demon styling himself as "Captain Howdy," but it's mostly the dark night of Father Karras's soul. After the death of his mother (whom he feels he let down), his faith is shot. Compounded with his training as a psychiatrist, he is in a hell of a dilemma with Regan's case -- he so badly wants to believe she is possessed and the Devil is real and so is God, but he so badly wants to believe he's not nuts and this is a girl undergoing an extreme case of psychic breakdown. Every single sign that this is a genuine devil comes with just enough doubt that I even started wondering, "...could she just be crazy?"

I'm quibbling a little with the rating, though. The last chapter was...eh. I despise when authors feel the need to beat you over the head with "See? This could mean one of two things..." But, for its faults, it succeeds in troubling the soul (just as Blatty and Captain Howdy want) if Regan is possessed, how could God do this to her and her family? If she isn't...there is something really dark at the bottom of even a young child's soul. It spooked me a bit. It wins.

Minor tangent I'd like to touch on the most odd object in this book is Detective Kinderman. His mannerisms, modest demeanor belying a sharp cunning, and self-deprecating humor is so startlingly like my favorite TV character, Columbo -- in fact, so alike that Blatty accuses the show's creators of lifting his character -- that it struck me to find him in the midst of a quite unsettling book.