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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
It's not a Cormac McCarthy book unless it's graphic, beautifully written, and depressing. Some knowledge of Spanish is definitely helpful as well in this case.
The first and third acts of the book are the strongest, the second act meandered quite a bit.
3.75 stars. This book is not for everyone.
The first and third acts of the book are the strongest, the second act meandered quite a bit.
3.75 stars. This book is not for everyone.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
A slower read than usual for me, mostly because I was often stopping to check to make sure I understood the Spanish dialogue. I thought this was a lot better than All The Pretty Horses (which is a great book).
Not the lightest of reads but captivating and thought provoking nonetheless.
This, too, is a rereading. Having spent a couple of weeks in southwest Texas, I felt compelled to reread the Border Trilogy. Although I love the writing, the setting, etc., The Crossing leaves me a little bewildered as the story line meanders. In fact, as I was rereading, I found myself remembering different parts of the novel as completely separate books since there seems to be so little connection between the narrative arcs. The trying-to-join-the-military segment would work better as a separate short story than as part of this larger novel wherein it leaves me thinking, "What is this doing here?"
This thing broke me. Binaries of life and death. Extended metaphysical stories as metaphor wrapped in a sad, lonely, narrative driven by fate. Read it but read with caution.
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Nihilistic Alice in wonderland? Maybe. American Don Quixote in Mexico? Maybe. The culmination of American literature? I think so.
"...there is no order in the world save that which death has put there."
I think I'm going to go ride my horse into the middle of nowhere, and just sit there and think for a couple of months, maybe more. Holy f*** I need a break from Cormac McCarthy before I start the third book.
"...there is no order in the world save that which death has put there."
I think I'm going to go ride my horse into the middle of nowhere, and just sit there and think for a couple of months, maybe more. Holy f*** I need a break from Cormac McCarthy before I start the third book.
He smiled. We think, he said, that we are the victims of time. In reality the way of the world is not fixed in any place. How would it be possible? We ourselves are our own journey. And that's why we are time too. We are the same. Fugitive. Inscrutable. Ruthless.
It's not you, it's me.
This story has beautiful prose (it is Cormac McCarthy, after all), but also turns the reader's face to the darkness of humanity, and won't let them close their eyes or look away (it is Cormac McCarthy, after all).
For its merit, it deserves a 5. For its darkness, I almost couldn't finish it. If you have a thicker skin then I do, you'll love it.
This story has beautiful prose (it is Cormac McCarthy, after all), but also turns the reader's face to the darkness of humanity, and won't let them close their eyes or look away (it is Cormac McCarthy, after all).
For its merit, it deserves a 5. For its darkness, I almost couldn't finish it. If you have a thicker skin then I do, you'll love it.