Choice 评论

Here is an ingenious approach that goes beyond the "four critical schools" of O'Connor criticism identified by Marshall Bruce Gentry in Flannery O'Connor's Religion of the Grotesque (CH, Oct'86). McMullen (Louisiana State Univ.) claims that a more accurate assessment would emphasize "the deliberate mystery" implanted by O'Connor in her fiction through "careful language choices" in syntax, symbols, and Catholic themes. McCullen positions herself as mentor, even a prophet of sorts, in the sense that she gives a reading of O'Connor and then guides readers through O'Connor's religious notions, Catholic themes, and perceptions of Catholic teaching as fleshed out in her characters, negative experiences, and storytelling. Both fans and scholars will find new thinking about familiar writing, whether O'Connor's fiction or critical interpretations. Highly recommended as an innovative study presented with clarity and simplicity. Upper-division undergraduates and up. A. G. Tassin formerly, University of New Orleans