Instruct: Classify a given review into positive or negative sentiment.
Query: Beowulf's monster, child, philosopher!

Earlier this year I read Seamus Heaney's excellent translation of Beowulf. Grendel is a retelling of this epic poem from the monster's eyes, versus the heros eyes. Darkly comic (laugh out loud), wildly surreal, a mixture of childish pranks and philosophical dissertations into the meaning of life. Gardner's prose is lyrical and finely wrought. Many stop-and-read-again lines. This version shows the side of mankind lingering in the back of my mind when I read Beowulf originally. The essence of man. Grendel stands nicely alone, but is also a tremendous compliment to the traditional poem. I se Grendel becoming a classic. Highly recommended.