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tfc's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It's interesting seeing the seeds that would form the storied literary career of Cormac McCarthy. Though none of the sardonic humor and absurd nihilism of Blood Meridian or the familial introspection of his later works is present in Outer Dark, his lyrical prose has the strength of the masters. Outer Dark is a Celtic ballad given novel length and depth and explores the invisible commons and depraved poverty of Southern Appalachia, where time stands painfully still and miracles unfortunately do happen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Incest, Confinement, Pregnancy, Sexism, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Violence, Classism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, and Misogyny
Minor: Stalking, Sexism, Gore, Sexual content, Animal death, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Rape
wayfaring_witch's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The vivid prose is dark and heavy, and made for a difficult and emotional read. McCarthy's writing style worked really well for this book.
This is a five star book for me but I would not recommend it for everyone because of the content advisories as well as McCarthy's writing style. If you are interested in checking him out, I would start with The Road.
This is a five star book for me but I would not recommend it for everyone because of the content advisories as well as McCarthy's writing style. If you are interested in checking him out, I would start with The Road.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Child death, Death, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Incest, Stalking, Grief, Gore, and Blood
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