16.3k reviews for:

The Road

Cormac McCarthy

3.92 AVERAGE

challenging mysterious 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: Complicated
challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No

“Then they set out along the blacktop in the gunmetal light, shuffling through the ash, each the other's world entire.”

Damn this one was bleak
dark emotional 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: No

An utterly depressing tale that I expected to end in an edgy, even more depressing way with the father having to live on without his son. Doomed to walk the earth alone, similar to Caine from the old testament. But I was wrong, the whole saying of, "it's always darkest before the dawn" is true even in the most dire circumstances (albeit I expected the story to turn in a more positive direction several times). I wish I had more information about the world our two protagonists live in but, along with the writing style, it serves a greater purpose of telling the reader how much humanity has lost and will continue to lose. I also felt like the boy would be the type to ask "are we there yet?" if circumstances were different but I digress.
adventurous dark reflective sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book is bleak. Like, soul-crushingly bleak. It’s slow, heavy, and depressing—but also weirdly beautiful? Definitely not a fun read, but one that sticks with you.

4.0 ⭐

"Gde ljudi ne mogu da žive ni bogovi ne prolaze bolje"

challenging dark slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
dark sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This book is one of the most bleak things I've ever read. That said, it remains compelling and, in an odd way (and in small ways for the most part) a bit uplifting. Recommended, but only if you know what you're getting into.