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Child of God

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Child of God

By: Cormac McCarthy
Narrated by: Tom Stechschulte
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About this listen

Lester Ballard, a violent, solitary and introverted young backwoodsman, is released from jail and allowed to haunt the hill country of East Tennessee, preying on the population with his strange lusts.

McCarthy transforms commonplace brushes with humanity into stunning scenes of the comic and the grotesque, and as the story hurtles toward its unforgettable conclusion, depicts the most sordid aspects of life with dignity, humour, and characteristic lyrical brilliance.

©2010 Cormac McCarthy (P)2013 Recorded Books LLC Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Emotionally Gripping

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Critic reviews

"A powerful and talented writer, able to elicit compassion for his protagonist however terrible his actions" ( Sunday Times)
"McCarthy charts the terrible decline of Lester Ballard with passion, tenderness, eloquence, and a humour which…is attuned perfectly to the bitter wryness of the South." ( Times Literary Supplement)
"His prose, unfailingly beautiful and exact, carries us into a dreamworld of astonishing and violent revelation" (Tobias Wolff)
All stars
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Although not McCarthy's best (Blood Meridian likely takes that title) this is my favourite of his works. I read it once a year in Winter, but decided to give the audiobook a try early this year, and what a treat it was.

The narrator does a fantastic job, with his Southern drawl perfectly accompanying the subject.

As little said about the story as possible is best in this instance.

Lester Ballard is a societal outcast. Follow him as he exists on the border of natural existence and humanity.

'A malign star kept him.'

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Thoroughly enjoyed this book, although it's quite short. Very brutal scenes. Interesting look through the eyes of a deranged maniac. The man is something else.

A creepy cross section of a complete maniac.

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I was shocked at the filthy language being used throughout the story. I shan’t be purchasing any more from this author.

Just full of swearing and blasphemy.

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It's like Mr. McCarthy wrote this for Mr. Stechshulte. They are alike: two comedians. Tom speaks in every Southern tongue, he sings or weeps if necessary, he is Child of God himself. Every word echoes for weeks in my memory. This frighteningly terrible and hilarious book becames an unforgottable audio experience. I look up other Stechshulte narrations for sure.

An Extraordinary Audio Experience

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I enjoyed it. Made me feel very uncomfortable in parts but thats why its good.

Grim and unmercifully honest

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