I am not going to write a review of The Exorcist novel.

This book is over 50 years old. It spent more than a year following its release on the New York Times Bestseller list, spawned a film that became a massive cultural touchstone, and it continues to spark controversy to this day. If there is one thing the world does not need, it’s my opinion of The Exorcist.

But I spent 15 hours (including a sizable chunk of a very long road trip) listening to the audiobook version, read superbly by William Peter Blatty himself. And I feel like I need to say something about it. So here are some facts you may not have known about the novel The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty:

1.) The book largely escaped controversy. While The Exorcist was incredibly popular before the release of the film, and features similar horrific imagery, the novel didn’t generate nearly as much controversy as The Exorcist movie did. This could be because the book is more clearly a story of the struggle between good and evil, while the film focuses more on the torture of Regan and her mother by the unseen demonic force. Additionally, sensational news and gossip surrounding the actors and production of the film helped fuel the movie’s larger controversy.

2.) It had a significant impact on the horror genre. Though it seems wild to consider now, before The Exorcist was published, the word “exorcism” was relatively unknown outside the Catholic church — and even there it was mostly considered an arcane curiosity. With the explosive popularity of the novel and its subsequent movie adaptation, exorcism became a recognizable (if horrifying) concept for the average American. Today, demonic possession and exorcism are familiar enough horror tropes to support their own sub-genre.

3.) The book was popular in its own right before the film came along. Following its 1971 release, The Exorcist spent over a year on the New York Times Bestseller list, and seventeen consecutive weeks in the #1 spot. Its success was unprecedented for a horror novel at the time. It became one of the bestselling novels of the 70s, and has remained pretty consistently popular ever since.

4.) The Exorcist was not immediately successful on release, though. According to Blatty, the book was doing pretty meager sales until a last-minute guest cancellation landed him a spot on The Dick Cavett Show. When the interview for the first guest ran short, Blatty reportedly had an entire 40 minutes to discuss his book on the air. Within two weeks, The Exorcist had the number-one spot on the NYT Bestsellers. (Note: Looking into this story, it doesn’t appear that there is surviving footage of this interview, or at the very least it’s not publicly available).

5.) Writing The Exorcist was a very personal and spiritual experience for William Peter Blatty. According to interviews, the character of Father Karras is based partially on Blatty’s own struggles with faith.

6.) The novel was banned in a number of countries, including Kuwait and South Africa, for content that was deemed too disturbing, graphic and blasphemous by authorities.

7.) Many subplots from the book were left out of the film. While no book-to-screen adaptation can keep everything, movie-only fans will miss out on juicy details like the suspicious secret that Karl is keeping from his wife, or Chris getting so close to having the chance to direct her own film, or the friendship that starts to blossom between Lieutenant Kinderman and Father Karras.

8.) The novel was inspired by true events. In 1949 when he was attending Georgetown University, Blatty read a news story telling how a Maryland priest allegedly banished a demon from the body of a 14 year old boy. This story stuck with Blatty, and eventually some of the key details of the news report — such as the use of a Ouija board as a potential catalyst for the possession — not only made it into the final version of The Exorcist novel, but still remain popular tropes in possession horror to this day.

9.) The book is a lot more ambiguous about whether or not Regan is actually possessed. While the movie makes it pretty clear that Regan’s body is being controlled by something supernatural, the novel questions that conclusion throughout. Though the events of the book certainly tempt the reader to believe, ultimately you’re left to decide in the end: was there really a demon?

10.) A revised edition was released for the novel’s 40th anniversary. In 2011, The Exorcist was re-released in an updated version with new cover art and even some new scenes added by Blatty. He spoke fondly of the opportunity to polish up his most famous novel, stating, “This is the version I would like to be remembered for.”

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Have you read The Exorcist or seen the film? What’s the story behind your experience with this genre-defining tale? Tell me about it down in the comments, or join the conversation on my Instagram. Do it. The power of Christ compels you!