The Exorcist: A Novel (English Edition)

Inspired by a 1949 newspaper account of the exorcism of a 14-year-old boy, THE EXORCIST, like the earlier ROSEMARY'S BABY, helped break out horror fiction to a wider, more mainstream audience. Critics had fairly strong reactions to the book, giving it either a rave or an extremely negative review. However, there is no doubt that THE EXORCIST has had a far-ranging appeal for readers; the book remained on the New York Times bestseller list for over a year and has sold millions of copies to date. William Peter Blatty, the author of the book, himself adapted the novel into the Oscar-winning screenplay for the hugely successful movie that was released in 1973.

The plot concerns an 11-year old girl who suffers from some very strange psychological and physical problems, which medical science seems unable to treat. The girl's mother eventually turns to a priest, who is in the midst of a crisis of faith. He recognizes that the girl may be possessed by the Devil, and, together with an exorcist, they fight the demon that has taken over the girl. The novel features a much more explicit account of the priest's inner torment than does the film. Additionally, the novel employs more carefully organized religious elements--especially in the use of religious iconography--and is considered by some to be much scarier. Those religious references are truly the core of the book, because despite its frequent reliance upon grotesque imagery, the novel is, in its way, deeply spiritual and faith-affirming. Blatty, a Catholic, has explained in interviews that he believes firmly that a spiritual world coexists alongside the physical one, and that any true account of an exorcism--i.e., evidence for a spiritual triumph over evil--would be an extremely powerful tool for increasing religious faith in the world.

Ficção / Horror