The Exorcist (The Exorcist, #1) in The Complete Idiots Guide to the Ultimate Reading List

Oct 14, 2010 Lisa (Harmonybites) rated it liked it

Shelves: contemporary, fantasy, novels, fiction, horror, ultimate-reading-list, popular-fiction

So much of the supernatural has religious underpinnings, but much fantasy and even genre horror novels underplays or eliminates that aspect. Witches are lovable like Tabitha and Hermione, werewolves have a "furry problem" at worst, vampires are smexy. The Exorcist, on the other hand, brings me back to my Catholic upbringing where you take those things that go bump into the night very seriously.

Indeed, my most vivid memory associated with the novel was a fellow student in my Catholic high school ...more

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Aug 21, 2010 Yu82 rated it liked it

This is usually called a classical horror book. For me, however, it appeared to be something of a psychological thriller. Although I was quite impressed by the naturalistic descriptions of the scenes of possession, what I liked more is the approach the author had to the topic of possession - the way the characters try to explain it first from the medical point of view and their growing fear when they fail to do it. As it turns out, what frightens us most is the fear of the inexplicable and our i ...more

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Oct 12, 2016 Cat Craddock-Carrillo rated it liked it

Not especially scary in my opinion: Sure, it was creepy in parts and very gross in others but really, the demonic ravings of the girl began to get absurd at some point.

The most interesting and wonderful thing about this book is the exploration of the character and struggles of Father Karras and (more briefly) the elder priest. Very much worth the read.

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