Blood Meridian: Cormac McCarthy: 2 (Picador Collection, 2) Paperback – 17 Feb. 2022

I recently had the pleasure of diving into Cormac McCarthy's "Blood Meridian" from the Picador Collection, and I must say, it was an exhilarating experience from start to finish. McCarthy's writing style is both poetic and brutal, weaving a tale that is as captivating as it is disturbing.Set in the American West during the mid-1800s, "Blood Meridian" follows the journey of a young runaway known only as "the Kid" as he joins a ruthless gang of scalp hunters led by the enigmatic and terrifying Judge Holden. McCarthy's vivid descriptions of the harsh landscapes, the relentless violence, and the moral ambiguity of the characters create a haunting atmosphere that stays with you long after you've turned the last page.What sets "Blood Meridian" apart is McCarthy's mastery of language. His prose is dense and lyrical, with every sentence crafted to perfection. The dialogue is sparse but impactful, revealing the true nature of the characters and the darkness that resides within them. McCarthy's ability to capture the essence of the human condition, the rawness of survival, and the depths of human depravity is unparalleled.The character of Judge Holden is one of the most memorable and chilling figures in literature. With his towering presence, intellectual prowess, and complete lack of morality, he embodies the embodiment of evil. McCarthy delves deep into the darkest corners of the human psyche, exploring themes of violence, greed, and the nature of humanity itself."Blood Meridian" is not a book for the faint of heart. It is a brutal and unflinching portrayal of the dark side of humanity, filled with graphic violence and disturbing imagery. However, for those willing to venture into its depths, it offers a profound examination of the human condition and the inherent darkness that lies within us all.In conclusion, Cormac McCarthy's "Blood Meridian" is a masterpiece of American literature. It is a challenging and thought-provoking read that will leave you in awe of McCarthy's writing prowess. If you have a taste for dark and gritty fiction that explores the depths of the human soul, this book is a must-read. Just be prepared to confront the darkness within yourself as you journey through the unforgiving landscapes of the American West.

There were times when I hated this book and times I loved it. I love McCarthy’s writing style, I find it easy to follow, but the story was hard to read but also impossible to stop. What a story and what a life. I couldn’t relate to it as much as parts of The Road, but it is worth the read - I doubt I will stop thinking about it for some time.

Can't really say I've read anything like this before. The writing style reminded me a bit of Moby Dick although I didn't enjoy that as much as this.I had no idea beforehand that Blood Meridian had a reputation for being a difficult novel to read and had I been aware of that in advance I may not have attempted it but actually I didn't find it hard to follow or understand.It is the kind of book that you need to concentrate on though and the language is very rich. There were some sections I had to read a couple of times and I also reached for the dictionary more than usual although I think that's part of the fun and point of reading anyway.Also I used on-line chapter analysis after each chapter to check how much of what I'd read I was taking in (I do this quite often when I read fiction) and I'd say 90% of the time I was on board with and able to follow what was going on.It's hard to describe what makes this novel so memorable. It feels like a western and it for me it played out like a movie in my head, although I'm not sure that turning it in to a film would necessarily do it justice.The story in itself is quite straight forward, it's McCarthy's descriptions and similie's and poetic flow that make the book stand out so vividly. It's also a relentlessly violent story so although a notable work it may not be for everyone.As someone who has always been a sporadic reader of fiction, I'm currently trying to do some catching up for lost time and as a result never feel like I have enough time to read a book twice but I think I would read this again.If you like violent Westerns rich in poetic symbolism then you've probably read this way before I did but if by any chance you haven't then do !

It is hard not to have mixed feelings about this book.Its prose are almost poetic; the vividity of the historical description is nothing short of breath-taking; and it will be a permanent remedy for any reader brought up on a romanticised cowboy movie-version of the old west.But, it reads like a simple list of brutal, gory things that happened rather than a narrative. Indeed, each chapter even has a list of what will happen during that chapter. It is hard to care about any character in the book - the author does not even care enough about the main protagonist to name him, I suspect any reader will care even less.I finished the book but did not find it hard to put down during the reading. I finished the book not because I wanted to see what happened to the characters, nor the conclude the narrative, but ultimately the richness of the historical detail made it just about worth the effort.

The author seems to have swallowed a thesaurus and feels the need to use the biggest number of the biggest, most unintelligible words he can, without mercy. Nevertheless I couldn't put this book down, until the end, when I threw it down -- as Cormac McCarthy just cannot do endings of any use or imagination at all. His books are often like good jokes with no punchlines. The stories are meandering and addictive, but they peter out into feeble, inconsequential empty endings. That's if there is any ending at all. The best part of The Blood Meridian was its brutally believable detail, featuring the depths that people routinely plummet, sanitised and hidden from our 21st century sensibilities. Who is the Judge? McCarthy himself of course, with his infinitely diverse range of intellectual interests, and the base instincts of a rattlesnake.