Matt T

This is my second time experiencing this story, and I have to say that I STRONGLY recommend the audio version of this book over a physical copy any day of the week. After reading other reviews for Blood Meridian, I completely understand why people could easily pick it up, spend ten minutes reading the first few pages, and put it down forever.

Cormac McCarthy's descriptions of this world are gorgeous, but can so easily wear you down with long-winded sections until you forget that you're supposed to be reading a scene in a book. The story is dramatic and symbolic, but so insanely violent and nihilistic that you're scared to read more. Speaking of the story, the biggest complaint that I've seen is that the plot is really hard to follow. And I completely agree when I'm trying to read the physical copy.

On my second time through, though, I will never regret my time reading this book. I listened to the narration by Richard Poe, and have never been able to picture a story as vividly as this version. Shoutout to Richard Poe, his voice is awesome.

Obviously, not a book for everyone. It's absolutely wild how disturbing it is, and how casually McCarthy includes those details in the same sentence as describing something as minor as the dirt on their boots. Also, there are a ton of slurs. Very jarring. The Judge (one of the greatest antagonists in fiction honestly) is the scariest character I've ever experienced.

I think in order to enjoy the story, you kind of have to know what you're getting into. And since I did, I'm giving it 4/5 stars. Wild story. Left me feeling very gross, but I was fascinated with the heights of violence that this book reaches.