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the_sunken_library's review against another edition
3.0
I think I am done with Cormac McCarthy. His writing is beautiful but his subject matter is far too melancholy for me. I have the read The Road (which I thought was depressing enough) and then I sampled this modern cowboy novel.
Needless to say nothing goes right, nothing is resolved and you are left with a sense of hopelessness, a total lack of control. Perhaps this is a more accurate tale of what would happen if you abandoned your life, involved yourself in something you didn't understand, a situation that left you to drown. But. I need hope. There is no optimism in this tale. Every feeble flicker of light is snuffed out brutally. Without mercy.
Chigurh is a fantastic villain, a terrifying enemy, an almost perfect killer. All who encounter him recognise his lack of connection to others, the fact he feels no need to follow the rules that most others do, even those outside of civilised society. He cannot be reasoned with, he will not forget, forgive or fail to follow through on his threats. He seemingly feels no pain and is unconcerned for his own safety. This confuses people, they don't know how to interact with him. They do not understand him. He is monstrous.
Is this a good book? Yes. Is a great? Possibly? Was it for me? No.
Plus 3 for the excellent writing, minus two for the hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Needless to say nothing goes right, nothing is resolved and you are left with a sense of hopelessness, a total lack of control. Perhaps this is a more accurate tale of what would happen if you abandoned your life, involved yourself in something you didn't understand, a situation that left you to drown. But. I need hope. There is no optimism in this tale. Every feeble flicker of light is snuffed out brutally. Without mercy.
Chigurh is a fantastic villain, a terrifying enemy, an almost perfect killer. All who encounter him recognise his lack of connection to others, the fact he feels no need to follow the rules that most others do, even those outside of civilised society. He cannot be reasoned with, he will not forget, forgive or fail to follow through on his threats. He seemingly feels no pain and is unconcerned for his own safety. This confuses people, they don't know how to interact with him. They do not understand him. He is monstrous.
Is this a good book? Yes. Is a great? Possibly? Was it for me? No.
Plus 3 for the excellent writing, minus two for the hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach.
syddomang's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
ruby4sure's review against another edition
5.0
Love his writing style of matter fact descriptions of grisly grisly details. Chigurh is terrifying, can't wait to watch the film now. Thought the ending could have wrapped up a smidge quicker but think was needed to make the bigger picture point about how there are no goodies or baddies there are just winners and losers
hexadonis's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
lpickett47's review against another edition
5.0
I tried reading this book about a year ago and hated it. Watched the movie and didn't like it. But every review for this book and the film were so positive, I felt that as a lover of literature I had to give it a second chance.
I'm very glad I did.
McCarthy's writing style takes about 100 pages to get used to and even then it still feels off. This is the point of it, I believe. I also think that McCarthy has the best ear for dialect since Mark Twain (I think a few reviewers have stated the same thing) and his dialogue, though sometimes hidden in text and other times made a page go by in less than ten seconds, was exceptional to read. Short sentences, simple words, powerful story. I say powerful not because it is empowering, but powerful because it is the most hopeless book I have ever read in my entire life. I'm not sure if that counts as a spoiler but this book is downright depressing.
There is criticism about Sheriff Bell's musings, but I rather enjoyed those. I found them insightful and interesting and a lot of the hate comes from people who want a hero, not a human, I think. This book is certainly worth a read, or two or three, because it is that good, and also that thought-provoking. I haven't been able to read anything since finishing this book because I can't stop thinking about what it might mean.
I'm very glad I did.
McCarthy's writing style takes about 100 pages to get used to and even then it still feels off. This is the point of it, I believe. I also think that McCarthy has the best ear for dialect since Mark Twain (I think a few reviewers have stated the same thing) and his dialogue, though sometimes hidden in text and other times made a page go by in less than ten seconds, was exceptional to read. Short sentences, simple words, powerful story. I say powerful not because it is empowering, but powerful because it is the most hopeless book I have ever read in my entire life. I'm not sure if that counts as a spoiler but this book is downright depressing.
There is criticism about Sheriff Bell's musings, but I rather enjoyed those. I found them insightful and interesting and a lot of the hate comes from people who want a hero, not a human, I think. This book is certainly worth a read, or two or three, because it is that good, and also that thought-provoking. I haven't been able to read anything since finishing this book because I can't stop thinking about what it might mean.
dunnadam's review against another edition
1.0
I am going to buck the trend of four and five star reviews here and give it a one. Another reviewer said of this book that it made her sorry she learned to read, and I take the point, but for me this book is like the anti-reading. It sucked the life out of me, it sucked me dry, and took a pleasurable escapist pastime like reading and made it dirty and violent and negative. This is the book that made me watch more TV.
I read this for a book club and the book is dripping with violence. The Road was a great book because it so vividly portrayed its post-apocalyptic world but this book doesn’t have that. It has dialogue and violence, and not really much else. The violence would turn your stomach if you processed every word of it. I read every word of the book, but I didn’t process every word. There was too much.
After the barrage of violence we meet the Sheriff, part of the old men, old school mentality who doesn’t understand how the South of yesterday has become people with green hair and bones through their noses walking down the street. He’s trying to solve the crime, but which crime? I suppose the missing money, or is it the murders, or is it the disappearing guns? This is intertwined with killers talking with their victims at length about philosophy before shooting them in the head. It’s just not anything I need in my life. I suppose if I were younger the violence would bother me less, but the writing is good and has a level of sophistication that I don’t think my younger self would have been able to appreciate, so I’m left wondering who it’s for. Who are all the five star reviewers?
I will agree the book is written well and the author presents it in a uniquely stylized way which is always a plus when reading. But if you can’t get past the bad people, does anyone in this book have a conscience?, and the violence, then what’s the point? The book takes you down, and mires you so deeply in the muck you can’t see your way out. In the end, as the book says:
“There wouldn’t be no point to it. There ain’t no point to it. Not to any of it.”
I read this for a book club and the book is dripping with violence. The Road was a great book because it so vividly portrayed its post-apocalyptic world but this book doesn’t have that. It has dialogue and violence, and not really much else. The violence would turn your stomach if you processed every word of it. I read every word of the book, but I didn’t process every word. There was too much.
After the barrage of violence we meet the Sheriff, part of the old men, old school mentality who doesn’t understand how the South of yesterday has become people with green hair and bones through their noses walking down the street. He’s trying to solve the crime, but which crime? I suppose the missing money, or is it the murders, or is it the disappearing guns? This is intertwined with killers talking with their victims at length about philosophy before shooting them in the head. It’s just not anything I need in my life. I suppose if I were younger the violence would bother me less, but the writing is good and has a level of sophistication that I don’t think my younger self would have been able to appreciate, so I’m left wondering who it’s for. Who are all the five star reviewers?
I will agree the book is written well and the author presents it in a uniquely stylized way which is always a plus when reading. But if you can’t get past the bad people, does anyone in this book have a conscience?, and the violence, then what’s the point? The book takes you down, and mires you so deeply in the muck you can’t see your way out. In the end, as the book says:
“There wouldn’t be no point to it. There ain’t no point to it. Not to any of it.”
marinalikeaboatyard's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I have to say…the movie is better 😬
mattjustinus's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
zachf's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5