Reviews tagging 'War'

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

94 reviews

themagpiereads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

A stunning and brutal indictment of Manifest Destiny. A tough read in many ways: the writing is dense, the subject matter is harrowing, the characters are detestable. Yet, it is a propulsive read as well, difficult to put down in spite of its brutality. Did I like this book? Not really. Did I think this book was good? Absolutely. Take heed of all the content warnings if you're going to pick this one up. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, and Torture

Moderate: Confinement, Excrement, Misogyny, Rape, Animal cruelty, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, and War

panurge's review against another edition

challenging medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I can see why this book becomes an obsession for some. This book made me blood drunk. After a few drinks I learned to like the taste. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Rape, Violence, and War

theguildwriter's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I don’t have words. This book is so much work to fully grasp and appreciate, but it is more than worth the work. This is true, brutal art. Cormac McCarthy is a literary force of his own.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Hate crime, War, Colonisation, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Death, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual violence, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Slavery, Ableism, Rape, Animal cruelty, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Religious bigotry

anemosise's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

horrifyingly difficult read. i cannot say this was enjoyable, but I find the story it tells to be an especially important one for it's time. took way too much brainpower and now I need to read some lighthearted stories lol

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, Rape, Torture, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Racial slurs, War, and Violence

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

thebearnest's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, Gore, Death, Genocide, Racism, War, Colonisation, and Murder

Moderate: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, and Blood

andykmcc's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book is a cavalcade of horrors. Every chapter is they walked and killed.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Racial slurs, and War

theohume's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Racism, Torture, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Violence, War, Excrement, Kidnapping, Colonisation, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault

moonpeach's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Racial slurs, Pedophilia, Racism, and War

gremlintamer's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Classism, Blood, Suicide, Violence, Religious bigotry, Rape, Murder, Gun violence, Child abuse, Body horror, Sexism, Xenophobia, War, Hate crime, Fatphobia, Sexual content, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Racism, Racial slurs, Pedophilia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Gore, Drug use, Cursing, Colonisation, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Ableism, Drug abuse, Death, Child death, and Cannibalism

This book is A LOT.

juliajaime98's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book took me a shit ton of time to read partly because it's SLOW but also because i was somehow half illiterate after so long not reading prior to this. Anyway, it's def the kind of book that has you sitting like o_o once you teach the end of it, especially the more you think about it. While none of the characters are likeable (besides the horses and dogs), they are all interesting and you want to keep finding out what happens to them. Also the judge's description is both terrifying yet hilarious every time it comes up. I picture him like bald and shiny Donald Trump. Anyway def recommend, although not a fan of some of the language used by Cormac (RIP) because yeah i know it's a western but like bruh... We got it the 200th time you used the same slurs. 

I suck at writing reviews but def give it a read if you got a stomach for gore and also want a tense and creepy story that isn't just horror but rather just encapsulated existential dread.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, War, Rape, Animal cruelty, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Animal death, Pedophilia, and Injury/Injury detail