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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
While I found “All The Pretty Horses” hard to put down, I found “The Crossing” hard to get through. It started bland, got good in the 2nd quarter and then gets bogged down a couple times by monologues that just go on for way too long and seem pointless by the end, as well as long conversations in Spanish that I get lost in. This wasn’t as much an issue in ATPH as it felt in this book. It’s a disappointing second act in this trilogy.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-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
Probably the best writing I have ever encountered. Almost magical how these characters felt so real, and especially the places, and descriptions are so well done. I am not saying it was perfect, I could point out just a few things, but I won't. It was just too good. The story is much better than "All the Pretty Horses." I will be reading more Cormac McCarthy if I find some not too sad, or too violent. I could not watch the movie "No Country for Old Men."
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Upon hearing the word trilogy one may imagine that Cormacs first book of the series All the Pretty Horses would have some sort of bearing upon the second iteration of the trilogy. This assumption would be wrong…sadly. The Crossing definitely can stand alone without help or characters from its predecessor, however the foundation on which the book is built through its first act is by far the strongest. This sets up the other 3/4s of the novel to feel lackluster and confused. The main character almost never seems to learn from mistakes or his journey as much as the audience does. Which some may argue is the main point, for the audience to understand the themes and admire the picture that is painted of the American countryside and the stark differences/similarities of Mexico. At no point in time does it feel like the main character wins, and yet this isn’t disappointing as he does little throughout the story to allow himself despite opportunities being there. Definitely an interesting life lived by an uninteresting character. Accompanied by long winded dialogue from characters who inevitably hold no bearing, nor speak messages truly understood by the main character himself. Hoping the third book clarifies why The Crossing was included in the trilogy.
adventurous
challenging
tense
slow-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
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
McCarthy's unremittingly bleak exploration of the US - Mexico border continues. The story of Billy Parham is as brutal and tragic as that of John Grady Cole in All The Pretty Horses. The book is at its best when the story, and Billy, are progressing along their journey, with a wolf initially and a later crossing with his brother Boyd. It flounders a little when things grind to a stop and digress into the stories of others met on the road, but overall another powerful and memorable reflection on the brutality and melancholy of life.