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Grendel
Grendel
Author: John Gardner
A retelling of the Beowulf mythology from the perspective of Grendel, the monster who preys upon the Anglo-Saxons of Hrothgar's tribe. Grendel is a nihilist who opposes the rationalism and self-abnegation of human beings and fears the advent of the society they are attempting to construct. He is defeated by Beowulf in the end.
ISBN-13: 9780394740560
ISBN-10: 0394740564
Publication Date: 7/12/1985
Pages: 152
Edition: 1st Vintage Books ed
Rating:
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 13

3.7 stars, based on 13 ratings
Publisher: Vintage
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio Cassette
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed Grendel on
Helpful Score: 3
Being an english teacher and studying Beowulf, this point-of-view reversal is amazing!
reviewed Grendel on
Helpful Score: 3
It was really different reading for me, but I enjoyed it.
Hophead avatar reviewed Grendel on + 285 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
My son had to read this in his high school British Literature class so I thought I'd give it a go and it is WAY better than Beowulf, which I had to read! Grendel is a sympathetic monster whose observations on humans are cagily insightful, and the Zodiac theme makes the book more enjoyable if you know to look for it. Recommended.
catscritch avatar reviewed Grendel on + 158 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
An unusual adaptation of Beowulf ledgend as written from the Monster's point of view. Man's natural instinct to kill what he doesn't understand is oft-times the impetus to the monsterous nature of the beast. Grendel deserves his say and gets it in this slim volume as told from the other side of the nightmare.
reviewed Grendel on + 68 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I always feel bad for beowulf and grendel, but well written and liked.
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reviewed Grendel on + 636 more book reviews
Blech. I REALLY didn't liked this book. I've had it since my junior year of high school, from when we read _Beowulf_ and I think I bought it to read for extra credit, or because I had genuinely liked _Beowulf_... but I never read it. We rented the movie _Beowulf_ so I decided to read it. I fount it to be very boring... so boring, in fact that I almost didn't finish it. Maybe if I had read _Beowulf_ more recently... well, I don't know, but really, it was boring!
reviewed Grendel on + 2 more book reviews
A bit hard to read, but all in all not bad


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