A review by couillac
Boys of Blur by N.D. Wilson

4.0

What an extraordinary novel. I don't know Beowulf well enough to speak to the parallels, but it really doesn't matter. Even without a familiarity with that classic tome, there's much to like here. Wilson's setting is rich, muddy, humid, and incredibly well-imagined. The football-crazy small town South comes to life with all its petty rivalries and entrenched loyalties. In such an efficient volume, Wilson manages to portray complex characters, child and adult, and he is a deft hand with horror. The supernatural element is entirely organic, rising naturally from this land of swamps and burning sugar fields, and the human relationships manage to stand out above the zombies and witches and old magic. I also love that this is a "boy" book, as much as I hate that term. I love that it's about proving yourself to other guys through football and running the rabbits in the sugar cane, but it's also about respect and caring for those around you and what it means to be truly courageous and risk everything for those you love. Nuanced, exhilarating, and entirely memorable.