Ethan’s Reviews > Blood Meridian, or, the Evening Redness in the West > Status Update

Finished chapter 18, I can sense the book is building to its conclusion. The characterization of Glanton suddenly was very well written, characterizing him as a great man and yet knows he can’t avoid his fate in life and he senses violent retribution coming to him. The Judge has had lots of monologues that are terrifying yet so intriguing and builds him more as a complex character. “War is God””War endures”

All I gotta say is the Judge is truly a symbol of depravity and his belief of things only being allowed to exist based on his consent is insanity and shows the sort of God-complex he has on himself in life. The comment on birds is intriguing as well and brings to question his philosophy of freedom of the weak in general.

Chapters 10 and 11 may have been the best so far. The stories told by the judge about the harness-maker and traveler were so meaningful and real in their message and the way the ex-priest spoke about the judge was very fascinating and telling on the true nature of the judge. Also the quote about only noticing you've heard the voice of God once it is absent is fascinating and an amazing quote. Excited for more.

Finished chapter 9, great chapter. The Judge is clearly set up to be a representation of evil, its obvious he mutilated the boy. The squatters in the building were so funny to me. Everything about them was ironic and I loved reading that part since they just were the most idiotic people and also were easily manipulated by The Judge (called fools). The ending of the chapter was interesting too and very symbolic.

Just finished chapter 4, very good chapter and well it was mostly all the same where it just kept affirming that the army the kid joined was extremely unprepared and just did not know one bit what they were doing and it showed in their eventual demise in the end when they essentially get slaughtered and the prophecy of the Mennonite comes fully true. Great chapter interested to see more though.