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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
This long awaited new novel by Cormac McCarthy is a hell of a ride
Merged review:
This long awaited new novel by Cormac McCarthy is a hell of a ride
Merged review:
This long awaited new novel by Cormac McCarthy is a hell of a ride
I didn't really enjoy this. The premise has practically nothing to do with the book. Instead it's just 400-odd pages of introspection that most of the time feels like you're reading a fever dream. I've said before though that I don't really gel with this type of writing anyway. There are a couple of flashes of enjoyment but they're few and far between. Most of the book feels like it's just words for the sake of words. Maybe I just don't 'get it', but I feel like McCarthy just wanted to push the envelope for one of his final books and see how far he could send it. My eyes were practically glazed over for the last quarter of the book.
Might even rate this a 1.5. Not a strong start to 2024!
Merged review:
I didn't really enjoy this. The premise has practically nothing to do with the book. Instead it's just 400-odd pages of introspection that most of the time feels like you're reading a fever dream. I've said before though that I don't really gel with this type of writing anyway. There are a couple of flashes of enjoyment but they're few and far between. Most of the book feels like it's just words for the sake of words. Maybe I just don't 'get it', but I feel like McCarthy just wanted to push the envelope for one of his final books and see how far he could send it. My eyes were practically glazed over for the last quarter of the book.
Might even rate this a 1.5. Not a strong start to 2024!
Might even rate this a 1.5. Not a strong start to 2024!
Merged review:
I didn't really enjoy this. The premise has practically nothing to do with the book. Instead it's just 400-odd pages of introspection that most of the time feels like you're reading a fever dream. I've said before though that I don't really gel with this type of writing anyway. There are a couple of flashes of enjoyment but they're few and far between. Most of the book feels like it's just words for the sake of words. Maybe I just don't 'get it', but I feel like McCarthy just wanted to push the envelope for one of his final books and see how far he could send it. My eyes were practically glazed over for the last quarter of the book.
Might even rate this a 1.5. Not a strong start to 2024!
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
McCarthy deserves his place in the pantheon, and there are sweeping poetic bits of melancholic scenery in this, but I was ultimately disappointed by the plot and characters of The Passenger and its coda Stella Maris. It’s a challenging read, heavy with hallucinations and lengthy academic dialogues, but these are not the dealbreakers necessarily. I could even live with the unsolved mystery of “the passenger” as plotted. My primary beef is the lack of heart and tenderness I wanted from this elderly literary master. And no, the animating emotional force centering on an incestuous infatuation doesn’t count toward any tenderness in my opinion. I can do without plot if I get character, but I wasn’t satisfied there either. This novel does stand on its own, which can’t be said for the sequel, though Stella Maris’ bits of revelation do open an alternate reading of The Passenger a la the frame of the TV show Lost. Still, the alternate reading doesn’t rescue it for me.
Merged review:
McCarthy deserves his place in the pantheon, and there are sweeping poetic bits of melancholic scenery in this, but I was ultimately disappointed by the plot and characters of The Passenger and its coda Stella Maris. It’s a challenging read, heavy with hallucinations and lengthy academic dialogues, but these are not the dealbreakers necessarily. I could even live with the unsolved mystery of “the passenger” as plotted. My primary beef is the lack of heart and tenderness I wanted from this elderly literary master. And no, the animating emotional force centering on an incestuous infatuation doesn’t count toward any tenderness in my opinion. I can do without plot if I get character, but I wasn’t satisfied there either. This novel does stand on its own, which can’t be said for the sequel, though Stella Maris’ bits of revelation do open an alternate reading of The Passenger a la the frame of the TV show Lost. Still, the alternate reading doesn’t rescue it for me.
Merged review:
McCarthy deserves his place in the pantheon, and there are sweeping poetic bits of melancholic scenery in this, but I was ultimately disappointed by the plot and characters of The Passenger and its coda Stella Maris. It’s a challenging read, heavy with hallucinations and lengthy academic dialogues, but these are not the dealbreakers necessarily. I could even live with the unsolved mystery of “the passenger” as plotted. My primary beef is the lack of heart and tenderness I wanted from this elderly literary master. And no, the animating emotional force centering on an incestuous infatuation doesn’t count toward any tenderness in my opinion. I can do without plot if I get character, but I wasn’t satisfied there either. This novel does stand on its own, which can’t be said for the sequel, though Stella Maris’ bits of revelation do open an alternate reading of The Passenger a la the frame of the TV show Lost. Still, the alternate reading doesn’t rescue it for me.
Merged review:
McCarthy deserves his place in the pantheon, and there are sweeping poetic bits of melancholic scenery in this, but I was ultimately disappointed by the plot and characters of The Passenger and its coda Stella Maris. It’s a challenging read, heavy with hallucinations and lengthy academic dialogues, but these are not the dealbreakers necessarily. I could even live with the unsolved mystery of “the passenger” as plotted. My primary beef is the lack of heart and tenderness I wanted from this elderly literary master. And no, the animating emotional force centering on an incestuous infatuation doesn’t count toward any tenderness in my opinion. I can do without plot if I get character, but I wasn’t satisfied there either. This novel does stand on its own, which can’t be said for the sequel, though Stella Maris’ bits of revelation do open an alternate reading of The Passenger a la the frame of the TV show Lost. Still, the alternate reading doesn’t rescue it for me.
Merged review:
McCarthy deserves his place in the pantheon, and there are sweeping poetic bits of melancholic scenery in this, but I was ultimately disappointed by the plot and characters of The Passenger and its coda Stella Maris. It’s a challenging read, heavy with hallucinations and lengthy academic dialogues, but these are not the dealbreakers necessarily. I could even live with the unsolved mystery of “the passenger” as plotted. My primary beef is the lack of heart and tenderness I wanted from this elderly literary master. And no, the animating emotional force centering on an incestuous infatuation doesn’t count toward any tenderness in my opinion. I can do without plot if I get character, but I wasn’t satisfied there either. This novel does stand on its own, which can’t be said for the sequel, though Stella Maris’ bits of revelation do open an alternate reading of The Passenger a la the frame of the TV show Lost. Still, the alternate reading doesn’t rescue it for me.
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
tbh i found this quite challenging to read, the plot is tenuous (which i guess is the point), loved the chapters from his sister's perspective tho - will definitely read Stella Maris too!
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
The kid is the main reason this has 3 stars I wish the whole book was about him (and Alicia) instead of bobby
dark
reflective
fast-paced