Sign in with FacebookMarcus's Reviews > Blood Meridian, or The Evening Redness in the West
Blood Meridian, or The Evening Redness in the West
by Cormac McCarthy
by Cormac McCarthy
I started hating this book early on. Just coming off reading Hemingway's sparse and beautiful prose, McCarthy's heavily metaphorical style, obscure vocabulary and dense sentences were maddening. I wanted to be able to just read the story without having to re-read it, without guessing who was saying what and without looking up words. I didn't start the book expecting Faulkner and as such, it was frustrating. Eventually though, I resigned myself to the style of the book and began to appreciate it.
Blood Meridian is apocalyptic, as is The Road, the only other book by McCarthy that I've read. BM (ha) isn't, however, set after a fictional apocalyptic event. It's the Southwest and Mexico 150 years ago. It almost has a historical feeling to it that is hard and uncomfortable, it has you constantly questioning "is this really how it was?" I don't know the answer to that, but for the sake of humanity, I hope it's that BM is far, far from the truth. I prefer the old West of Gus and Call from Lonesome Dove; rough, dangerous and perverse but not undistilled evil. The characters of are all thoroughly depraved, each in their own special way. At times they're insightful, but never lovable. Seeing them all hung by their necks would be a relief, and the sooner the better.
What's to like about the book? It has no good guys, it shatters the romanticism of the West, it is gory and violent and hard to read. All that doesn't leave much, but still I found that at times I was blown away. Some of the insights; the judge's transhuman-like abilities, his commentaries on war, power and the human condition alone make it worth reading.
The romantic in me wants to say that it's the very bleakness that makes Blood Meridian so compelling. It's this unflinching look at the dark potential of humanity that triggers such a strong disgust reaction that it makes the latent evil in each of us feel foreign and remote, and as a result, reinforces a love for life, for beauty and preservation over destruction. Is that what McCarthy intended? Probably not.
Blood Meridian is apocalyptic, as is The Road, the only other book by McCarthy that I've read. BM (ha) isn't, however, set after a fictional apocalyptic event. It's the Southwest and Mexico 150 years ago. It almost has a historical feeling to it that is hard and uncomfortable, it has you constantly questioning "is this really how it was?" I don't know the answer to that, but for the sake of humanity, I hope it's that BM is far, far from the truth. I prefer the old West of Gus and Call from Lonesome Dove; rough, dangerous and perverse but not undistilled evil. The characters of are all thoroughly depraved, each in their own special way. At times they're insightful, but never lovable. Seeing them all hung by their necks would be a relief, and the sooner the better.
What's to like about the book? It has no good guys, it shatters the romanticism of the West, it is gory and violent and hard to read. All that doesn't leave much, but still I found that at times I was blown away. Some of the insights; the judge's transhuman-like abilities, his commentaries on war, power and the human condition alone make it worth reading.
The romantic in me wants to say that it's the very bleakness that makes Blood Meridian so compelling. It's this unflinching look at the dark potential of humanity that triggers such a strong disgust reaction that it makes the latent evil in each of us feel foreign and remote, and as a result, reinforces a love for life, for beauty and preservation over destruction. Is that what McCarthy intended? Probably not.
Sign into Goodreads to see if any of your friends have read Blood Meridian, or The Evening Redness in the West.
sign in »
Quotes Marcus Liked
“It's a mystery. A man's at odds to know his mind cause his mind is aught he has to know it with. He can know his heart, but he dont want to. Rightly so. Best not to look in there. It aint the heart of a creature that is bound in the way that God has set for it. You can find meanness in the least of creatures, but when God made man the devil was at his elbow. A creature that can do anything. Make a machine. And a machine to make the machine. And evil that can run itself a thousand years, no need to tend it.”
― Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West
― Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West
Comments (showing 1-3 of 3) (3 new)
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Seth
(last edited Jun 10, 2010 01:59pm)
(new)
Jun 10, 2010 01:58pm
I have read the first 15 pages (just picked it up from the library yesterday) it is gory! This book is much more difficult than The Road or No Country For Old Men. I hope I get used to the style. I have only read one short story by Faulkner, but, McCarthy has been compared to him and Melville. That comparison sort of bugs me. Hopefully, I can finish this book agreeing with the likeness.
reply
|
flag
*
Here's a quote from it that you might appreciate:The man who believes that the secrets of the world are forever hidden lives in mystery and fear. Superstition will drag him down. But that man who sets himself the task of singling out the thread of order from the tapestry will by decision alone have taken charge of the world and it is only by such taking charge that he will effect a way to dictate the terms of his own fate.
I have found this book to be very difficult to read from the beginning. Not knowing who is saying what made things even harder to comprehend. But, I also got into the swing of things after reading further into the book. The violence turned me off many times, but I understand that it was necessary to include, as it was a common thing of that time era. The book was gory, and hard to read overall. I think it was an alright book, but I would have to re-read it a few more times to tell you what is really good about it. There is something about books that I can't comprehend the first time that makes me dislike them.
