Wise Blood

<i>Wise Blood</i>, Flannery O'Connor's first novel, is the story of Hazel Motes who, released from the armed services, returns to the evangelical Deep South. There he begins a private battle against the religiosity of the community and in particular against Asa Hawkes, the 'blind' preacher, and his degenerate fifteen-year-old daughter. In desperation Hazel founds his own religion, 'The Church without Christ', and this extraordinary narrative moves towards its savage and macabre resolution. <br><br>'A literary talent that has about it the uniqueness of greatness.' <i>Sunday Telegraph</i><br><i></i><br>'No other major American writer of our century has constructed a fictional world so energetically and forthrightly charged by religious investigation.' <i>The New Yorker</i><br><i></i><br><i></i>'A genius.' <i>New York Times</i> <i>Wise Blood</i>, Flannery O'Connor's first novel, is the story of Hazel Motes who, released from the armed services, returns to the evangelical Deep South. There he begins a private battle against the religiosity of the community and in particular against Asa Hawkes, the 'blind' preacher, and his degenerate fifteen-year-old daughter. In desperation Hazel founds his own religion, 'The Church without Christ', and this extraordinary narrative moves towards its savage and macabre resolution. <br><br>'A literary talent that has about it the uniqueness of greatness.' <i>Sunday Telegraph</i><br><i></i><br>'No other major American writer of our century has constructed a fictional world so energetically and forthrightly charged by religious investigation.' <i>The New Yorker</i><br><i></i><br><i></i>'A genius.' <i>New York Times</i>