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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
The first third of this novel is 10/10...absolutely incredible. The rest was so tedious and unengaging that this is without doubt my leave favorite novel I have read from McCarthy.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A moving exploration of the transience of life and its endless, tireless changing. There isn't really a plot to speak of, nor is the main character really developed in any major way (he is quite passive, in fact), but despite this, the novel is evocative and moving; I became unconsiously attached to what few semi-consistent things remain in the story—and to a surprisingly intense degree.
Much of the character 'development' revolves around conversations between the protagonist and the figures he meets as he travels. These comversations almost always involve the figures explaining (or proselytizing) their world-view—though apart from a few key moments, we don't really come to see how much of what the protagonist comes to believe. While conversations like this can be boring or overly intellectualized (in theory), they consistently engage throughout The Crossing, especially due to the differences among the characters themselves, contradictory viewpoints, and variety of topics (nature, the mind, reality, and truth). However, there is still something unsolved to Billy Parham, and his emotional interiority is glimpsed through similarly brief cracks as his intellectual one. These moments often surprise and, at their best, devestate. McCarthy's handling of these story elements seems to break the conventional rules of story telling but in a way that ultimately feels fully functional, more successful even than its more-conventional predecessor.
The limited understanding of Billy that we get (and the relative lack of plot) is the major area of difference between The Crossing and All the Pretty Horses. While I preferred The Crossing as a whole, this difference also left me with a stronger attachment to and appreciation for John Grady Cole than Billy Parham. By offering a more muted experience, the novel instead offers a more complex and nuanced exploration of its themes. While gunplay, horse-wrangling, and romance are present, they take a backdrop to the more subtextual elements and conservations between characters who enter fall out of, and re-enter the story constantly.
In terms of elements that both novels share, the place and the people who inhabit it stand as high points. Perhaps it was a function of sheer volume, but it seemed like Spanish featured more predominantly here than in APH. The diglot passages are some of my favorite as someone who can passably read Spanish (with some help from the dictionary). It allows not only for versimilitude but also for so much verbal texture and dexterity; I am floored by McCarthy's mastery of two languages and the mediating Spanglish between them. This also works well with the novel's philosophical concerns as ideas can be expressed twice in different languages and two scenes can feel distinct simply based on the language(s) employed. Working through the Spanish certainly slowed down my reading (and had my grasp of the language been worse, I could see it being a major detriment to what I got out of the novel) but if you have even baseline familiarity with Spanish it is an incredibly rewarding bilingual read. The masterful employment of two languages is, perhaps, my favorite aspect of the novel.
There is more to be said about The Crossing than what I can get into here, but I'll close by saying that it's an instant favorite within McCarthy's ouvre.
Much of the character 'development' revolves around conversations between the protagonist and the figures he meets as he travels. These comversations almost always involve the figures explaining (or proselytizing) their world-view—though apart from a few key moments, we don't really come to see how much of what the protagonist comes to believe. While conversations like this can be boring or overly intellectualized (in theory), they consistently engage throughout The Crossing, especially due to the differences among the characters themselves, contradictory viewpoints, and variety of topics (nature, the mind, reality, and truth). However, there is still something unsolved to Billy Parham, and his emotional interiority is glimpsed through similarly brief cracks as his intellectual one. These moments often surprise and, at their best, devestate. McCarthy's handling of these story elements seems to break the conventional rules of story telling but in a way that ultimately feels fully functional, more successful even than its more-conventional predecessor.
The limited understanding of Billy that we get (and the relative lack of plot) is the major area of difference between The Crossing and All the Pretty Horses. While I preferred The Crossing as a whole, this difference also left me with a stronger attachment to and appreciation for John Grady Cole than Billy Parham. By offering a more muted experience, the novel instead offers a more complex and nuanced exploration of its themes. While gunplay, horse-wrangling, and romance are present, they take a backdrop to the more subtextual elements and conservations between characters who enter fall out of, and re-enter the story constantly.
In terms of elements that both novels share, the place and the people who inhabit it stand as high points. Perhaps it was a function of sheer volume, but it seemed like Spanish featured more predominantly here than in APH. The diglot passages are some of my favorite as someone who can passably read Spanish (with some help from the dictionary). It allows not only for versimilitude but also for so much verbal texture and dexterity; I am floored by McCarthy's mastery of two languages and the mediating Spanglish between them. This also works well with the novel's philosophical concerns as ideas can be expressed twice in different languages and two scenes can feel distinct simply based on the language(s) employed. Working through the Spanish certainly slowed down my reading (and had my grasp of the language been worse, I could see it being a major detriment to what I got out of the novel) but if you have even baseline familiarity with Spanish it is an incredibly rewarding bilingual read. The masterful employment of two languages is, perhaps, my favorite aspect of the novel.
There is more to be said about The Crossing than what I can get into here, but I'll close by saying that it's an instant favorite within McCarthy's ouvre.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There are a lot of philosophical people down in Mexico, aren't there?
More seriously, McCarthy is an unusual author for me because, apart from The Road, his books fall outside the genres I typically read. And I can't say I necessarily enjoy myself while I'm reading them. Nevertheless, I'm drawn to the books and their uncommon formatting. And there is the fact that I can still vividly remember scenes from the books long after I've read them. I can recognize the quality of the craft, even if it's not a style I typically appreciate.
As for The Crossing specifically, I think I like it better than All The Pretty Horses. It's less brutal and more atmospheric. Billy's journeys feel like they have more purpose, and I was more invested in them.
More seriously, McCarthy is an unusual author for me because, apart from The Road, his books fall outside the genres I typically read. And I can't say I necessarily enjoy myself while I'm reading them. Nevertheless, I'm drawn to the books and their uncommon formatting. And there is the fact that I can still vividly remember scenes from the books long after I've read them. I can recognize the quality of the craft, even if it's not a style I typically appreciate.
As for The Crossing specifically, I think I like it better than All The Pretty Horses. It's less brutal and more atmospheric. Billy's journeys feel like they have more purpose, and I was more invested in them.
4.5 if i could. loved it after the first 50 pages of setting traps, checking traps, sleeping, and repeating. of course, gut wrenching as is mr mccarthy’s usual. excited to see how all the pretty horses and the crossing connect in cities of the plain :)
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Damn man Billy really lost everything. Dood lost his wolf, parents, dog, brother, and most of his horses. At least Nino is alive for now.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated