Blood Meridian

ByCormac McCarthy

Release Date: 1992-05-05
Genre: Literary Fiction

Score: 4.5

4.5

From 1,503 Ratings

Description

One of The Atlantic’s “Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years,” now with a new foreword by Marlon James

Widely considered one of the finest novels by a living writer, Blood Meridian is an epic tale of the violence and corruption that attended America’s westward expansion, brilliantly subverting the conventions of the Western novel and the mythology of the “Wild West.” Its wounded hero, the Kid, a fourteen-year-old Tennessean, must confront the extraordinary brutality of the Glanton gang, a murderous cadre on an official mission to scalp Indians. Seeming to preside over this nightmarish world is the diabolical Judge Holden, one of the most unforgettable characters in American fiction.

Based on historical events that took place on the Texas-Mexico border in the 1850s, Blood Meridian represents a genius vision of the historical West, one whose stature has only grown in the years since its publication.

Reviews

Violently poetic.
3
By Sabrina Alfin
An endless stream of brutality in the Old West, seen through the eyes of a young witness and participant. Beautifully written, but to what end? I became a bit numb to the bloodletting; perhaps that was the point. He’s written better books. Feel free to skip this one.
Heart wrenching and Thought provoking.
5
By Butt why tho
I don’t know if I would ever read it through again but I am glad to have read it.
A strange feeling to be sure.
Too mysterious
3
By banded_clovis
I can understand the game surrounding this book, and while the characters were all portrayed extremely well I thought much of the book was redundant. The plot was very good, when the the author would eventually get around to revealing it. This is the third MCarthy book I’ve read(The Road, All the Pretty Horses) and the one I found least suited to his style of writing. Probably I’m just not cut out for his writing style and I’m picky in how I want a Western to read. This is a unique book but I would not call it the best Western
Anyone Who Hasn’t Read This Book Without My Knowledge Does So Without My Consent
5
By FunkyMarkandtheBunch
Read this book. Talk about this book. Seek to understand it. And in time you too will quote The Judge randomly in your living room like the rest of us. It is a book of blood, chaos and violence. A place where hope is scarce and compassion starves. It is not fun or kind. Yet it is a masterpiece.
You’re either gonna love it or you’re gonna hate it….
5
By GroovyBoomstick
As I suggest this book, just understand something’s for one if you don’t like gore and lots of senseless (or meaningful depending on your opinion) violence, I’d steer clear from this novel but if you can stomach it, I truly believe Cormac McCarthy has a great way with his words and descriptions, and themes that will stay with you forever. Some may say this novel is pointless and pretentious but I beg to differ!(ok maybe a little pretentious lol)
Will you dance
5
By lord Raiden 2
Or will you run
He never sleeps, The Judge. He is dancing, dancing And he says that he will never die.
5
By Kompton Al
This is now considered my new favorite book. Never have I ever read a book that gave me an experience like this one had. The prose are so lyrical and poetic that it will put you in a hypnotic flow once you get in to the book and figure out its rhythm it’s almost like a trance that it will be hard to put it down. Such powerful writing. So much violence and he makes it sound poetic. This book is a must read.
Gud book
5
By PodcastCritic69/420/1836
“Whatever in creation exists without my knowledge exists without my consent.”
Masterpiece
5
By josh199922
One of the best pieces of American literature
Terrific
5
By 254@easy
Great piece of literature