‘A work of genius’ Independent‘Brilliantly cinematic . . . Irving shows considerable skill as scene after scene mounts to its moving climax’ New York Times'A remarkable novel, a rare creation, an amazingly brave piece of work. So extraordinary, so original, and so enriching’ Stephen King‘Brave and subtly disturbing, it is all the more remarkable for its engagement with the deepest questions, the most painful mysteries of our lives’ Los Angeles Times________'If you care about something you have to protect it. If you're lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it.'Eleven-year-old Owen Meany, playing in a Little League baseball game in Gravesend, New Hampshire, hits a foul ball and kills his best friend's mother. Owen doesn't believe in accidents; he believes he is God's instrument. What happens to Owen after that 1953 foul ball is both extraordinary and terrifying.