Author Melvin Burgess typically writes disturbingly graphic young adult novels for the mature reader. I knew this when I picked up Bloodtide, but I was still shocked, revolted and utterly transfixed by the incredibly intense, powerful and gory retelling of the viking Beowulf legend.
The story is set in a post-apocolyptic London, where warring gang families have divided the city into territories that they defend visciously. The whole city of London has been abandoned by the democratic government and a wall has gone up round the perimeter, to keep the gangs in. Terrifying halfmen, created by twisted science, patrol the strip of territory between the wall and the gang lands; these monsters are fed on human sacrifices, and evoke fear and loathing in all who encounter them.
Two families have split London between themselves, the Volsons and the Conors. And so here we have the perfect setting for a modern blood feud. When a marriage is arranged to calm the tensions between the families, betrayal and an incredibly brutal war ensues. Burgess's genius is in the steady, relentless progression of vengeance and tension; midway through the book, you can see that there is no possible path to a happy ending. Nevertheless, you must read on to the brutal, inevitable ending, where the poor, battered protagonists face the truth about revenge's poisionous nature.
This is a complex book told by many different voices as the action progresses. And as well as all the fantastic characters (Gods and monsters make several appearances) there is real human drama and deep emotional development. I was absolutely gripped by this book from the first page, and Burgess's genius is in portraying the many facets of humanity in the face of terrible events and extreme emotions.
Science Fiction/Horror
Grade 11 and up (for mature readers)
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