Book Review: Finding Flannery by Christina Brajkovich, Karen Anne Mahoney, and Roxane B. Salonen (ARC)

Any time I meet a Flannery O'Connor fan, I find myself feeling that I have found a kindred spirit. I encountered three such women in Finding Flannery: A Travel Memoir Exploring the Mystique of Flannery O'Connor and the Legacy She Has Left Us All. In this unique memoir told in three voices, Christina Brajkovich, Karen Anne Mahoney, and Roxane B. Salonen shared the story of their trio's visit to Flannery's home, Andalusia, and surrounding landmarks in Flannery's hometown of Milledgeville, Georgia. Each chapter of this book focuses on a different aspect of Flannery's legacy: her faith, her writing, her perseverance in the face of illness, her relationship with her mother, her friendships, etc. Within every chapter, each of the authors has a section marked by individual birds they chose to represent themselves, and each one reflects on the theme of that chapter. The result of this three-part narration is the sense that the reader is in conversation with fellow travelers, all of whom love and appreciate Flannery.

I have long wished I could visit Andalusia, but this book is truly the next best thing. I loved experiencing Flannery's world vicariously through these three writers' eyes and I enjoyed hearing how they discovered Flannery and became so interested in her. I've read a lot about Flannery, so a lot of what they discussed was familiar ground for me, but there were little tidbits here and there that were new to me, and some fresh perspectives I had not considered. I think my favorite part was the chapter focused on Flannery's relationship with her mother, Regina, and on Regina herself as a mother. I have always found their dynamic fascinating, and it was interesting to see each writer reflect on it.

Flannery fans will adore this book, but I think it might also win over some Flannery skeptics, who, even if they struggle with her fiction, won't be able to resist her personality and strong faith after spending time with these devoted fans. I'm grateful to Roxane for the review copy. It's going on my Flannery shelf!