Just an incredible novel, it stuck with me way more than The Road which is the only other McCarthy I've read so far. I know lot's of people who don't like it, so then they insist that people are only pretending to enjoy it to appear intelligent. Maybe there are some folks like that, but that doesn't mean some of us don't absolutely get it, understand it, and love it exactly for what it is, a masterpiece of novel writing.
Read “Child Of God” by Cormic McCarthy that one will really stick with you it’s about a serial killer and it’s only 200 pages and way more violent then blood Meridian
The way of the world is to bloom and to flower and die but in the affairs of men there is no waning and the noon of his expression signals the onset of night. His spirit is exhausted at the peak of its achievement. His meridian is at once his darkening and the evening of his day.
The making gunpowder scene of the brim of a volcano is a nod to Book Vi of Paradise Lost (Milton). Many of the violent scenes come directly from real world descriptions, supposedly Samuel Chamberlain's My Confessions. Yale Courses online has 2 episodes on Blood Meridian; which I recommend.
It definitely really opened my eyes to what McCarthy was thinking when writing this when you know that he had Gnosticism on his mind. I think he confirmed it in an interview once.
Def check out The Crossing and Suttree which i consider his other masterworks. Every novel he wrote is essential to his understanding. Even his last two novels The Passenger/ Stella Maris are phenomenal.
Great review. By how you spoke of the judge's distain for empathy, the kids empathy, how nothing existed without his leave, his will to dominate, his .. proclivities, I think I know what you thought happened at the end of the novel. I'm not going to type the word in a youtube comment section .... he killed him to.
That’s my favorite book. I underlined every word I didn’t know (which were many) and I highlighted everything that I found poetic and beautiful. It’s terrifying and beautifully breathtaking simultaneously. I think about it everyday and it has been a real life changing experience.
Holden tends to monopolize the discourse around the novel, and for good reason. The more I reread it, however, the more The Kid captures my attention. He's resourceful, resilient, even funny on occasion, and as you point out, given to strange fits of mercy and camaraderie that are otherwise absent in the gang.
Interesting review. I found it interesting that all the bmembers of the Glanton Gang had at least seen him before joining the gang. All of them had to join the gang of their own free will. It seemed like all that followed was judgement for that decision and came to all of them eventually. The Kid last, of course. Unlike the others he was no crueler than he had to be to survive. He did not revel in it.
The nature of the judge leaves the man's life most likely sexually assaulted and killed. That's the judges nature. Compare it to when he meets him in jail. " I would've loved you like a son (sic) " and he tries grabbing him. The judge is not above grooming children and the character is called the kid.
The road is great, no country is better and deeper, blood meridian is much better and very deep. I’m currently reading the border saga. Best advice is get the paperback and write down the definitions of the words you don’t know (there will be plenty) and words that can have different meanings. Think on what the book is really about then come back and listen to the audio book using the notes as reference. The way this book was written it’s similar to shakespeare in that is better to speak or hear it than read it. It’s a great book and worth the time to understand it. It’s pretty obvious most of it went over Wendy’s head but that’s ok it’s a difficult book that really requires more than one reading.
BM is a book I will revisit, and it was my first McCarthy alongside The Road. I think what made it more digestible to me was the fact that I had read a lot of Shakespeare plays and all of The Divine Comedy. I felt like I was reading through a beautiful yet twisted and thought-provoking epic of a story.
Hey Wendy! I had to abandon your review about six minutes in, as I like to go in blind with books. It was probably not the best idea to have clicked on this, but there we are. I am not a huge fan of writing that does not have punctuation; in fact, I am a little punctuation obsessed 😅 However, I do not disregard books on thet basis so perhaps still one for me to read. I have not read any of his works. What would you say is a good place to start? Great video (so far!). ❤
Cormac seldom uses quotation marks, and most of his books are bleak. . All The Pretty Horses is often folks' favorite, and National Book Award Winner. A lot of people like The Road, Pulitzer Winner and post-apocalyptic. No Country For Old Men - also a movie, is brutal, but (to me) less like his 'normal' style than the others, but more plot driven than most.
I just got into theodicies, or the proofs of why God does not exist due to the existence of multiple evils in the universe. Someone described “Blood Meridian” as an extended theodicy, lyrical and powerful in its dissection of all evil. And Judge Holden as the embodiment of a God who shows no grace, innocence or mercy. I gotta read this thing!
What an undue gereralization and insult! I initially thought certain aspects of his writing style would be unovercomable to my enjoyment of the book, but I know very well exactly what unarbitrary meaning I found entertaining and valueable in the story. (3 times now. That's real enjoyment, not pretension) After now having read and listened to it, I beleive it lends itself better to oral transmission. I rarely feel this way as reader myself but it's the only justification for his lack of grammar, and the story is genuinely more enjoyable this way. What is an example of a book you love?
@@JOSHRonquillo-j3e hey that's just my experience, if you found enjoyment with this novel, that's great for you. I think my idea of the perfect novel would be something like East of Eden.
@eveythingthatsadam I've actually been meaning to read that the last couple of months, especially because I adored Grapes of Wrath so much. I'm not sensitive to ruthless takes and criticism; I just don't see why people come out of the box with personal insult. It's not like we're talking about Phinegan's Wake here. Lol
@@JOSHRonquillo-j3e haha. GOW is on my tbr but I'm just apprehensive it won't be as 'good' as EOE. It really is a very special book that will stay with me forever. Perhaps interestingly, I adored The Road but found No Country for Old Men incredibly boring.
I think I finally figured out the story. It’s a meta retelling of The Emperor’s New Clothes in which the Emperor is the publisher of the book, the clothier is McCarthy, the courtiers are the literary critics and the little boy is the reader who isn’t dazzled by the Emperor or the courtiers and can’t help but not see any story.
Not trying to be a dick or come off as condescending, but you need to think on it and read it a few more times. I think a good portion of what you read went over your head. That is not an insult it goes over everyone’s head it’s deep enough that it is puzzled over in college classes. Give it a few more reads it’s saying much more than I think you’re getting out of it.
It's more of a problem of needing outside knowledge like of specific literary and philosophical references and of course, McCarthy and gnosticism than of needing to read it multiple times.
Well, I am definitely not going to like this book, or read it. There is nothing about "human condition" in monotone descriptions of violence. If I wanted, for whatever reason, to engross myself in that side of reality, I would prefer a documentary, or even just a news article. It is, primarily, gross. And I can't see how quality of the prose would do anything with that.
It's essentially a story about the frontiers of western civilization that still exist to this day, and the type of people that are drawn to exist in those places. You can find plenty of Judge Holdens in lesser forms with the countless Navy SEAL podcasters, delivering "wisdom" as they know it as masters of death who were able to exercise that power with total impunity. Their view of horrible acts are filtered through an internal justification that's then reinforced by an external reward - medals, book deals, etc. The human nature aspect is not that humans are violent and awful by nature, but some are, and we use them for unsavory tasks against people who have no defense against them, just to enrich the few.
Wendy is dancing, dancing. She says that she will never die
Just an incredible novel, it stuck with me way more than The Road which is the only other McCarthy I've read so far. I know lot's of people who don't like it, so then they insist that people are only pretending to enjoy it to appear intelligent. Maybe there are some folks like that, but that doesn't mean some of us don't absolutely get it, understand it, and love it exactly for what it is, a masterpiece of novel writing.
Read “Child Of God” by Cormic McCarthy that one will really stick with you it’s about a serial killer and it’s only 200 pages and way more violent then blood Meridian
The way of the world is to bloom and to flower and die but in the affairs of men there is no waning and the noon of his expression signals the onset of night. His spirit is exhausted at the peak of its achievement. His meridian is at once his darkening and the evening of his day.
"See the child." I love that opening sentence.
The making gunpowder scene of the brim of a volcano is a nod to Book Vi of Paradise Lost (Milton).
Many of the violent scenes come directly from real world descriptions, supposedly Samuel Chamberlain's My Confessions.
Yale Courses online has 2 episodes on Blood Meridian; which I recommend.
Did not know that. Loved the scene, Will check that out!
"You can practically smell the piles of corpses as you read this." Love it!
It definitely really opened my eyes to what McCarthy was thinking when writing this when you know that he had Gnosticism on his mind. I think he confirmed it in an interview once.
Def check out The Crossing and Suttree which i consider his other masterworks. Every novel he wrote is essential to his understanding. Even his last two novels The Passenger/ Stella Maris are phenomenal.
@@slave_to_cinema thank you so much for the recommendations. I want to read everything he had written!
Great review. By how you spoke of the judge's distain for empathy, the kids empathy, how nothing existed without his leave, his will to dominate, his .. proclivities, I think I know what you thought happened at the end of the novel. I'm not going to type the word in a youtube comment section .... he killed him to.
Blood meridian was such a difficult book to read but the way that McCarthy writes is incredible!!
That’s my favorite book. I underlined every word I didn’t know (which were many) and I highlighted everything that I found poetic and beautiful. It’s terrifying and beautifully breathtaking simultaneously. I think about it everyday and it has been a real life changing experience.
Holden tends to monopolize the discourse around the novel, and for good reason. The more I reread it, however, the more The Kid captures my attention. He's resourceful, resilient, even funny on occasion, and as you point out, given to strange fits of mercy and camaraderie that are otherwise absent in the gang.
The writing style definitely takes more time to "digest" but this book is definitely worth it.
Interesting review.
I found it interesting that all the bmembers of the Glanton Gang had at least seen him before joining the gang.
All of them had to join the gang of their own free will.
It seemed like all that followed was judgement for that decision and came to all of them eventually.
The Kid last, of course. Unlike the others he was no crueler than he had to be to survive. He did not revel in it.
It's a dark book, but its prose is masterful. Poetic.
The nature of the judge leaves the man's life most likely sexually assaulted and killed. That's the judges nature. Compare it to when he meets him in jail. " I would've loved you like a son (sic) " and he tries grabbing him. The judge is not above grooming children and the character is called the kid.
A dark book for sure, but my favorite book.
So many books and so little time. Happy reading to you.
I appreciate your thorough reviews. I've only read The Road but will definitely add this one to my TBR.
The Road scarred me for life. 😬
The road is great, no country is better and deeper, blood meridian is much better and very deep. I’m currently reading the border saga. Best advice is get the paperback and write down the definitions of the words you don’t know (there will be plenty) and words that can have different meanings. Think on what the book is really about then come back and listen to the audio book using the notes as reference. The way this book was written it’s similar to shakespeare in that is better to speak or hear it than read it. It’s a great book and worth the time to understand it. It’s pretty obvious most of it went over Wendy’s head but that’s ok it’s a difficult book that really requires more than one reading.
BM is a book I will revisit, and it was my first McCarthy alongside The Road. I think what made it more digestible to me was the fact that I had read a lot of Shakespeare plays and all of The Divine Comedy. I felt like I was reading through a beautiful yet twisted and thought-provoking epic of a story.
this is every dudebro's favourite book
Favourite Mcarthy after Suttree. Thanks for the video, Wendy.
Hey Wendy! I had to abandon your review about six minutes in, as I like to go in blind with books. It was probably not the best idea to have clicked on this, but there we are. I am not a huge fan of writing that does not have punctuation; in fact, I am a little punctuation obsessed 😅 However, I do not disregard books on thet basis so perhaps still one for me to read. I have not read any of his works. What would you say is a good place to start? Great video (so far!). ❤
Cormac seldom uses quotation marks, and most of his books are bleak. . All The Pretty Horses is often folks' favorite, and National Book Award Winner. A lot of people like The Road, Pulitzer Winner and post-apocalyptic. No Country For Old Men - also a movie, is brutal, but (to me) less like his 'normal' style than the others, but more plot driven than most.
@@kurtfox4944 Thank you for responding :) Bleak is fine (😆). I will have a bit more of a look into these and see which one takes my fancy :)
@@kurtfox4944”seldom” bro 😭
I just got into theodicies, or the proofs of why God does not exist due to the existence of multiple evils in the universe. Someone described “Blood Meridian” as an extended theodicy, lyrical and powerful in its dissection of all evil. And Judge Holden as the embodiment of a God who shows no grace, innocence or mercy. I gotta read this thing!
Thank you very much❤
an excellent review of an excellent novel
insightful!
Awesome Video
@@TrueBlueAndrew Thank you so much!
Try reading “Child of God” it’s way more violent then Blood Meridian and only 200 pages
Thank you! Yes, that one is near the top of my list. I want to read all the McCarthy I can!
Whoa cool video !
In the end, The Man got murdered by the Judge on the toilet.
Maybe
I have a Blood Meridian T-Shirt 😅
That's awesome! Is it from Obliterature?
Wendy spat.
This is the sort of book that people say they like to make themselves look smart. The truth is, it's a miserable reading experience, in every sense.
And this is the sort of statement made by people who lack the intellect to understand Blood Meridian.
What an undue gereralization and insult! I initially thought certain aspects of his writing style would be unovercomable to my enjoyment of the book, but I know very well exactly what unarbitrary meaning I found entertaining and valueable in the story. (3 times now. That's real enjoyment, not pretension) After now having read and listened to it, I beleive it lends itself better to oral transmission. I rarely feel this way as reader myself but it's the only justification for his lack of grammar, and the story is genuinely more enjoyable this way. What is an example of a book you love?
@@JOSHRonquillo-j3e hey that's just my experience, if you found enjoyment with this novel, that's great for you.
I think my idea of the perfect novel would be something like East of Eden.
@eveythingthatsadam I've actually been meaning to read that the last couple of months, especially because I adored Grapes of Wrath so much. I'm not sensitive to ruthless takes and criticism; I just don't see why people come out of the box with personal insult. It's not like we're talking about Phinegan's Wake here. Lol
@@JOSHRonquillo-j3e haha. GOW is on my tbr but I'm just apprehensive it won't be as 'good' as EOE. It really is a very special book that will stay with me forever. Perhaps interestingly, I adored The Road but found No Country for Old Men incredibly boring.
I think I finally figured out the story. It’s a meta retelling of The Emperor’s New Clothes in which the Emperor is the publisher of the book, the clothier is McCarthy, the courtiers are the literary critics and the little boy is the reader who isn’t dazzled by the Emperor or the courtiers and can’t help but not see any story.
Nice try. Maybe the next time the smugness will give way enough for something resembling a thought to come through
Not trying to be a dick or come off as condescending, but you need to think on it and read it a few more times. I think a good portion of what you read went over your head. That is not an insult it goes over everyone’s head it’s deep enough that it is puzzled over in college classes. Give it a few more reads it’s saying much more than I think you’re getting out of it.
Her analysis isn't very good for sure.
@@ericsierra-franco7802it’s a review not a full analysis. There are like two hour videos that analyze this book more than you could ever want lol
It's more of a problem of needing outside knowledge like of specific literary and philosophical references and of course, McCarthy and gnosticism than of needing to read it multiple times.
The one director who could adapt this is Zack Snyder.
plz no
Absolutely not
Zack Snyder & Michael Bay co-directing with Jack Black as The Judge and Kevin Hart as The Kid is the movie to make
@@dilarch.throw The Rock somewhere in there and we got pure kino.
Snyder didn't even have the brains to adapt Superman properly, what makes you think he can adapt something so cerebral and abstract? lol
Well, I am definitely not going to like this book, or read it.
There is nothing about "human condition" in monotone descriptions of violence. If I wanted, for whatever reason, to engross myself in that side of reality, I would prefer a documentary, or even just a news article.
It is, primarily, gross. And I can't see how quality of the prose would do anything with that.
It's essentially a story about the frontiers of western civilization that still exist to this day, and the type of people that are drawn to exist in those places.
You can find plenty of Judge Holdens in lesser forms with the countless Navy SEAL podcasters, delivering "wisdom" as they know it as masters of death who were able to exercise that power with total impunity. Their view of horrible acts are filtered through an internal justification that's then reinforced by an external reward - medals, book deals, etc.
The human nature aspect is not that humans are violent and awful by nature, but some are, and we use them for unsavory tasks against people who have no defense against them, just to enrich the few.