2012 book 41

Flannery O'Connor's The Violent Bear It Away
This is one of those books where I can see why it's kind of a classic, but it's not really an enjoyable read. I kind of like the pervasive sense of dread and inevitability, but the of-its-time racism, ableism, and homophobia aren't exactly fun, and all the characters are unlikable (if sympathetic). But what else can you expect from a book about a boy raised with some odd ideas by his great-uncle who is, to say the least, a religious eccentric. Exquisite writing and theologically interesting but DANG there is some messed-up stuff in there.