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bmb3md's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Truly the most bleak novel I’ve ever read, but also so impactful. The Road strips down a father’s love for his son into its most raw and basic elements. He must sacrifice his hope and goodness to protect that thing his son. A lot of these scenes were haunting and will stay with me for a long time, and I’ll also need just as long to sit with this story as a whole. I’m having a hard time summarizing my thoughts on it
lyg004's review against another edition
3.0
a quick read and good world-building but omg the structure was annoying and confusing at times
ryanreadsstuff's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
dunnadam's review against another edition
5.0
I read this book for my book club. I knew two things going in, one that is had placed first in Entertainment Weekly's top 100 reads of the last 25 years and secondly I had heard by word of mouth the book was "dire".
I started the book last night, paused only to sleep, and finished it this morning. The book is an excellent read and you are unable to put it down once you start.
Sparse prose in a sparse world, the simplicity of the story is the hook. The journey you embark on with the main characters is so harrowing you can't look away.
Themes of the book reminded me of Steinbeck's East of Eden, the essence of humanity is laid bare, stripped to it's foundations, and consequently we think of of life, of purpose, of our place in the world. A specific story made universal and something I'll carry with me always.
I started the book last night, paused only to sleep, and finished it this morning. The book is an excellent read and you are unable to put it down once you start.
Sparse prose in a sparse world, the simplicity of the story is the hook. The journey you embark on with the main characters is so harrowing you can't look away.
Themes of the book reminded me of Steinbeck's East of Eden, the essence of humanity is laid bare, stripped to it's foundations, and consequently we think of of life, of purpose, of our place in the world. A specific story made universal and something I'll carry with me always.
knotmeg's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
paulmichaelpeters's review against another edition
5.0
I just recently re-read this work. The road is bitter, harsh, ash covered, and deadly to walk. This story isn't really about the road, but the light we carry inside, about being one of the good-guys, and what it means to love someone so much that you give up everything for them.
cati's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
:(
I didn't cry at all, but I'm feeling choked up just thinking about it. This book had me going "McCarthy, you sick, sick man!" at times. Like, it's insane. This passage:Can you do it? When the time comes? When the time comes there will be no time. Now is the time. Curse God and die. What if it doesnt fire? It has to fire. Could you crush that beloved skull with a rock? Is there such a being within you of which you know nothing? Can there be? Hold him in your arms. I JUMPED. And then that scene where they find the burnt baby ... Are you kidding me!!!!! I knew that the dad was going to die because he was coughing and I saw the parent death tag on here, but jesus christ man. I'm just gonna be staring into space for a couple days until I find another book to read.
I didn't cry at all, but I'm feeling choked up just thinking about it. This book had me going "McCarthy, you sick, sick man!" at times. Like, it's insane. This passage:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Child death
Moderate: Chronic illness, Blood, Death, and Cannibalism
trin's review against another edition
3.0
Ho, boy. This is the most depressing, bleakest post-apocalyptic novel I’ve ever read. I know that sounds redundant almost, but it’s really not: most of the other bits of apocalyptic fiction I’ve read contain some kind of hope, some chance that civilization will rebuild, that humanity will continue, that there’s something worth fighting for. This book has cannibals. And no hope, not really—which McCarthy actually deals with really well. The man and his son go on because they go on, they keep surviving for as long as they can and hope that there’s meaning even in that (though there may not be). McCarthy’s post-apocalyptic setting is beautifully described—his prose is incredible, and by itself enough to tempt me to read more of his work. He does the [a: Terry Pratchett|1654|Terry Pratchett|http://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1235562205p2/1654.jpg] thing (yes, I just compared [a: Cormac McCarthy|4178|Cormac McCarthy|http://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1414695980p2/4178.jpg] to [a: Terry Pratchett|1654|Terry Pratchett|http://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1235562205p2/1654.jpg]—how awesome is that?) of no chapter breaks, but this story is easily swallowable in one sitting (with a couple of bathroom breaks)—and I suspect it may even be better like that. There’s a wonderful flow to it, almost lulling despite the horror of much of what father and son encounter. It’s like a long, slow slide into that final sleep.
Part of me wanted something more climatic to happen at the end, but I can see a million ways that that wouldn’t have worked, so I’m all right with the conclusion. Anyway, this book is more about the experience as a whole than any one piece of it, I think.
There are a couple of interesting—although mostly irrelevant—things I’d like to mention about McCarthy’s style. I like and understand why he chooses not to use dialogue tags—I’ve done that myself, and think that it makes sense in terms of the narrative here; it preserves the horrible, frightening feeling of quiet. What I don’t get, however, is whatever argument he seems to have with apostrophes. He doesn’t use them in words like “doesnt” or “cant,” but does for things like “he’d.” I don’t understand this as a stylistic choice—I don’t see how it works with anything else at all, or has any effect but to be stubborn and confusing. (Which is obviously why the apostrophe is kept in for “he’d”—because otherwise you’d look at the word and go, “Bwah?” WHICH IS WHY WE USE APOSTROPHES IN THE FIRST PLACE.) I’m all for manipulating language if it has a narrative purpose (I kind of like the conclusion of [b: Ulysses|338798|Ulysses|James Joyce|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1428891345s/338798.jpg|2368224]). But I don’t get the sort of [a: Gertrude Stein|9325|Gertrude Stein|http://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1422989334p2/9325.jpg]ian theory that we should shorten everything as much as possible. It doesn’t make writing easier to understand; it makes it harder. And kind of ugly. AND, if you don’t respect your friend the apostrophe, you end up with a book full of weird typos (though that may have just been bad copy editing).
However, none of that affected my enjoyment of the book at all. (Well, the grammatical mistakes kind of did, but I don’t want to blame McCarthy for that.) It was creepy and tragic and beautifully written. I’m not sure why this is considered OMG LITERATURE when it’s ground sci-fi has been covering for years, but that’s a whole other “poor abused genre fiction” rant right there. Hi, I’m tangent girl today.
Part of me wanted something more climatic to happen at the end, but I can see a million ways that that wouldn’t have worked, so I’m all right with the conclusion. Anyway, this book is more about the experience as a whole than any one piece of it, I think.
There are a couple of interesting—although mostly irrelevant—things I’d like to mention about McCarthy’s style. I like and understand why he chooses not to use dialogue tags—I’ve done that myself, and think that it makes sense in terms of the narrative here; it preserves the horrible, frightening feeling of quiet. What I don’t get, however, is whatever argument he seems to have with apostrophes. He doesn’t use them in words like “doesnt” or “cant,” but does for things like “he’d.” I don’t understand this as a stylistic choice—I don’t see how it works with anything else at all, or has any effect but to be stubborn and confusing. (Which is obviously why the apostrophe is kept in for “he’d”—because otherwise you’d look at the word and go, “Bwah?” WHICH IS WHY WE USE APOSTROPHES IN THE FIRST PLACE.) I’m all for manipulating language if it has a narrative purpose (I kind of like the conclusion of [b: Ulysses|338798|Ulysses|James Joyce|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1428891345s/338798.jpg|2368224]). But I don’t get the sort of [a: Gertrude Stein|9325|Gertrude Stein|http://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1422989334p2/9325.jpg]ian theory that we should shorten everything as much as possible. It doesn’t make writing easier to understand; it makes it harder. And kind of ugly. AND, if you don’t respect your friend the apostrophe, you end up with a book full of weird typos (though that may have just been bad copy editing).
However, none of that affected my enjoyment of the book at all. (Well, the grammatical mistakes kind of did, but I don’t want to blame McCarthy for that.) It was creepy and tragic and beautifully written. I’m not sure why this is considered OMG LITERATURE when it’s ground sci-fi has been covering for years, but that’s a whole other “poor abused genre fiction” rant right there. Hi, I’m tangent girl today.
johnthebiker300's review against another edition
4.0
Captivating.
Sad.
Humourless.
Sparse
Bleak
Dreaded the ending.
Sad.
Humourless.
Sparse
Bleak
Dreaded the ending.
captlychee's review against another edition
3.0
This is a pedesgtrain work tha ha succeeded in lit crit circles because it was resolutely not marketed as a science fiction work. It wouldn't pass muster as post-apocalyptic novel. The situation is dessrived with so little attention to the details that you can't feel for the characters. The nature of the apocalypse is only hinted at. As the characters move along the road they get lucky on a surprising number of occasions, and the deus ex macina at the end beggars belief.
But, if you're unfamiliar with SF as a genre you might use this as an inteouiton to proper post-apocalyptic adult (not Y/A) ficitn.
I also jokingly said that it would make a good prequel to Riddley Walker.
But, if you're unfamiliar with SF as a genre you might use this as an inteouiton to proper post-apocalyptic adult (not Y/A) ficitn.
I also jokingly said that it would make a good prequel to Riddley Walker.