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Grant Us Eyes: The Art of Paradox in Bloodborne
Grant Us Eyes is a book-length close reading of Bloodborne by literary critic Nathan Wainstein (LA Review of Books, Cartridge Lit, American Book Review).
Grant Us Eyes situates the game’s oft-discussed difficulty in relation to a much longer tradition of difficult art – surrealist painting, the modernist novel, etc. Wainstein probes the difficulty of Bloodborne’s fragmented narrative, the difficulty of its graphical and aural glitches, the difficulty of the philosophical problems it poses, and the difficulty of performing close analysis itself within a medium that still doesn’t have established, agreed-upon methods of interpretation in the way literature and film do.
Grant Us Eyes situates the game’s oft-discussed difficulty in relation to a much longer tradition of difficult art – surrealist painting, the modernist novel, etc. Wainstein probes the difficulty of Bloodborne’s fragmented narrative, the difficulty of its graphical and aural glitches, the difficulty of the philosophical problems it poses, and the difficulty of performing close analysis itself within a medium that still doesn’t have established, agreed-upon methods of interpretation in the way literature and film do.
- GenresVideo Games
336 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2025
8 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 2, 2025
More academic than I expected, which was honestly a pleasant surprise. This exegesis explores everything from the intertextuality, aesthetic value, and cultural significance of video games at large to their technological evolution and the player’s role in experiencing them, and specifically contextualizes Bloodborne within a modernist, often Marxist view of the medium. The later chapters are the strongest because they narrow in on analysis of the game’s narrative beats and unique design choices. The essays are well-researched, sometimes flawed, and the book itself is a beautiful addition to any collector’s shelf.
June 15, 2025
Tune & Fairweather did it again! Their Fromsoft books are always such a delight, not only are their editions absolutely stunning, with such care to detail and gorgeous design, but they're also truly interesting in terms of content. Grant us eyes is a captivating essay by Nathan Wainstein that reflects about negative form on Bloodborne, touching themes that go from the cyclic nature of the story, to its narrative contradictions, its sublime architecture, serendipitous glitches and much, much more.
A true must for fans of the video game.
A true must for fans of the video game.
June 21, 2025
Grant Us Editors.
The Introduction to the book is not what I would consider good and reads like an attempt to justify nothing less than the medium of Video Games to his hipster art critic friends he met in college. The language (or dare I say prose) is uh dolled up to the point where unfortunately (or fortunately) it can come off as unintentionally comedic.
This author to his credit will go as far and to as strange places as Orpheus went for Eurydice to try to connect these concepts of Art criticism with the 2015 FromSoftware title.
This is my favorite quote so far so when you read it please picture it said by a wise old Academic ruminating by the fireplace: "Indeed, a rarely acknowledged paradox of this entire modern conception of negative form is precisely that it ends up elevating those features that, were one willing to risk vulgarity to say it, might otherwise seem like simple faults of craft."
The Introduction isn't poor simply because it is overwrought but because it too ignores the needs of the audience in service of the author's contemporaries and peers in his academic space. Someone who buys a book called The Art of Paradox in Bloodborne needs no long winded explanation or justification of such things that are already evident. Importantly they already are familiar with the game and have either played it or watched it. I think for the fans of these games all of us to some degree or another believe they are artistic creations and have merit. It almost as if the author struggles initially about whether the game really can be considered art and this is how the Introduction I think does more harm than good.
It's the same dynamic of the Comedian who has to 'explain' the joke. Those who understand comedy already get it so the Comedian explaining the joke violates that intimate connection between the audience and the Comedian. Just as comedy cannot be understood by everyone neither can something even more esoteric like a Japanese Video Game about Gothic/Lovecraftian horror. Know your audience.
I will say that the book does improve the more the author is able to just dive into the finer points of the game where we see that he does have a depth of knowledge about it and can go some interesting places.
One thing I appreciated is the zealousness of the Introduction is more of a crime of passion than a sin of omission. It becomes very clear that the author really loves the game he is writting about.
On the theme of paradox the references the book makes are some of the most colorful I've seen committed to paper. You want to show contrast? Try citing William Faulkner, and Homer alongside reddit users BlackhawkRogueNinjaX and....SexyJapanties(?!?!?!)
Although some would mock the author for citing reddit posts and comments in the same space as some of the greatest writers to ever live, I quite liked it because it shows the author as not being above the community of Soulsborne fans but instead integrated into it and respecting it. In some ways I'd like more of these references from normal everyday people who enjoy the games and have insight into them.
This is what I mean when I say the book does get better as time goes on.
I have not finished it but I would have to say that a work heavily referenced in this book "The Paleblood Hunt" by Redgrave is a superior work to this one.
I will finish this book and potentially be willing to revise my overall score upon its completion.
The Introduction to the book is not what I would consider good and reads like an attempt to justify nothing less than the medium of Video Games to his hipster art critic friends he met in college. The language (or dare I say prose) is uh dolled up to the point where unfortunately (or fortunately) it can come off as unintentionally comedic.
This author to his credit will go as far and to as strange places as Orpheus went for Eurydice to try to connect these concepts of Art criticism with the 2015 FromSoftware title.
This is my favorite quote so far so when you read it please picture it said by a wise old Academic ruminating by the fireplace: "Indeed, a rarely acknowledged paradox of this entire modern conception of negative form is precisely that it ends up elevating those features that, were one willing to risk vulgarity to say it, might otherwise seem like simple faults of craft."
The Introduction isn't poor simply because it is overwrought but because it too ignores the needs of the audience in service of the author's contemporaries and peers in his academic space. Someone who buys a book called The Art of Paradox in Bloodborne needs no long winded explanation or justification of such things that are already evident. Importantly they already are familiar with the game and have either played it or watched it. I think for the fans of these games all of us to some degree or another believe they are artistic creations and have merit. It almost as if the author struggles initially about whether the game really can be considered art and this is how the Introduction I think does more harm than good.
It's the same dynamic of the Comedian who has to 'explain' the joke. Those who understand comedy already get it so the Comedian explaining the joke violates that intimate connection between the audience and the Comedian. Just as comedy cannot be understood by everyone neither can something even more esoteric like a Japanese Video Game about Gothic/Lovecraftian horror. Know your audience.
I will say that the book does improve the more the author is able to just dive into the finer points of the game where we see that he does have a depth of knowledge about it and can go some interesting places.
One thing I appreciated is the zealousness of the Introduction is more of a crime of passion than a sin of omission. It becomes very clear that the author really loves the game he is writting about.
On the theme of paradox the references the book makes are some of the most colorful I've seen committed to paper. You want to show contrast? Try citing William Faulkner, and Homer alongside reddit users BlackhawkRogueNinjaX and....SexyJapanties(?!?!?!)
Although some would mock the author for citing reddit posts and comments in the same space as some of the greatest writers to ever live, I quite liked it because it shows the author as not being above the community of Soulsborne fans but instead integrated into it and respecting it. In some ways I'd like more of these references from normal everyday people who enjoy the games and have insight into them.
This is what I mean when I say the book does get better as time goes on.
I have not finished it but I would have to say that a work heavily referenced in this book "The Paleblood Hunt" by Redgrave is a superior work to this one.
I will finish this book and potentially be willing to revise my overall score upon its completion.
December 28, 2025
Very academic, but I found this very welcome. A great analysis of Bloodborne as art, paying special attention to the uniqueness of the medium.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews