John Gardner: Grendel (1977, Ballantine Books)
Mass Market Paperback
English language
Published Nov. 12, 1977 by Ballantine Books.
The first and most terrifying monster in English literature, from the great early epic Beowulf, tells his own side of the story in this frequently banned book. This classic and much lauded retelling of Beowulf follows the monster Grendel as he learns about humans and fights the war at the center of the Anglo Saxon classic epic. This is the book William Gass called "one of the finest of our contemporary fictions."
I sucked this book down with an extra large boba smoothie straw. So glad I finally read a book about one of English literatures earliest monsters. And monster he is! This is not really a book about how Grendel was misunderstood really. This is about a monster looking desperately looking for meaning in a world that was probably not made by God. I love him.
This was a fun way to revisit a classic. I enjoyed Beowulf back in school. This story was truly funny when skewering philosophical gasbags. I especially liked the priests in the snow scene.
