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ralbee0320's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, Violence, and Gore
loreful's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Murder, Violence, and Stalking
Moderate: Racism
Minor: War
lcoombs88's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Death of parent
saltycoffee's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Death of parent, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Car accident, Death, Blood, and Gore
Minor: Animal death
andrew_corduroy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gun violence, and Murder
vbarsi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Gun violence, Murder, Blood, Death, and Gore
l4d's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Violence and Gun violence
If re-reading, imagine Chigurh isn't actually a real person but a story or name used to explain things, more like the boogeyman.bensontmac's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The book is absolutely gripping, and if you can gain momentum in your reading, you'll hardly be able to put it down. It can be difficult to get started--the first Moss chapter starts out pretty boring, and McCarthy's writing style can be very difficult to get used to--but if you muscle through the first forty pages or so it gets better. A LOT better. The most interesting parts in my opinion were from the perspective of Anton Chigurh. It is fascinating to read about someone who is both a mass murderer and a budding philosopher. He electrifies any scene he enters. Llewellyn Moss and Ed Tom Bell are also interesting characters, though I wouldn't say either of them are ever developed in great detail.
However, McCarthy also lives up to his reputation of being "the great pessimist of American literature." He uses the italicized narration from Ed Tom Bell to convey his thoughts about the deterioration of America and the deep-seated issues that have taken root in the country. The violence that occurs throughout the book's plot serves to reinforce these arguments. McCarthy offers no solution and does not seem to think that there is one. There is a section at the end of the book where the plot has mostly ground to a halt and Bell is left to darkly ruminate for about forty pages. It's bleak, depressing stuff, and it's not exactly gripping either, but I suppose it's an important commentary on what's happened to us as a society. I'm not sure I agree with McCarthy--I think that there is a lot of goodness and beauty in this country--but No Country for Old Men definitely made me think.
Overall I thought this was a very well-written and important book, but expect to feel depressed for a little while after reading it. McCarthy does not mess around.
Moderate: Gun violence, Death, and Gore
Minor: Car accident
flooooo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Blood, Gun violence, Alcohol, Violence, and Death
jordan_duke's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
“You wear out, Ed Tom. All the time you spend tryin to get back what’s been took from you there’s more goin out the door. After a while you just try and get a tourniquet on it”
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Racial slurs