Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian

Where others fear to read

I read this novel slowly and finished it this week. I must say, I’m glad it’s over. I read it more as a challenge to myself after watching some YouTube reviews that claimed most people give up on it on first attempt. Apparently the late, great Harold Bloom had two failed attempts before finishing it. This is mainly due to one of two reasons -

They are repelled by the uncompromising violence

They are repelled by the density of the prose.

Some parallel reading is suggested to help access the prose style, including King James Bible, especially first chapters of Old Testament (McCarthy makes much use of ‘and’ to grow interminably long sentences, although the mesmeric effect is undeniable — repeated use of conjunctions known as polysyndeton) and William Faulkner’s As I lay Dying. I bought copies of both but, to be honest, haven’t spent much time with either though I’m still hoping that will change.

Although the novel is brutal I wasn’t put off by the violence, which I refuse to be concerned about. However the bleak nihilism is difficult and unremitting, and I’m not sure how I would have coped if it had been much longer than the published 350 pages.