Scan barcode
A review by mariecristina
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
If what you're looking for is the grimmest post-apocalypse book there is, this book is for you!
This was an emotional read. Grimm, yet hopeful. But there are things I didn't enjoy. The main thing that bugged me was the ambiguity of what had happened that left Earth destroyed this way. We are left in the dark as to when it had happened as well. It seems to be long ago as they find cans that can't be eaten. Yet, another small thing that bugged me - they find dried apples in an orchard that can be eaten. How long can dried apples last? A year at most? It felt a bit inconsistent.
However, I think, to enjoy it, these are inconsequential details. They are beyond the scope of the book. The writing is poetic and vivid. The main theme is the father-son relationship amidst hardship and that is beautifully developed, extremely realistic and very emotional. To realize how many sacrifices a parent has to make to raise a kid well in that kind of an environment is heart breaking. I loved the way the father instills in him good values. This is such a difficult thing even in ideal living conditions, I can't imagine how it is for them.
The discussion becomes, of course, what it means to be good. Are you still good when you ignore someone who will die of hunger?
More on my blog: https://readfinebooks.com/2022/06/04/the-road
This was an emotional read. Grimm, yet hopeful. But there are things I didn't enjoy. The main thing that bugged me was the ambiguity of what had happened that left Earth destroyed this way. We are left in the dark as to when it had happened as well. It seems to be long ago as they find cans that can't be eaten. Yet, another small thing that bugged me - they find dried apples in an orchard that can be eaten. How long can dried apples last? A year at most? It felt a bit inconsistent.
However, I think, to enjoy it, these are inconsequential details. They are beyond the scope of the book. The writing is poetic and vivid. The main theme is the father-son relationship amidst hardship and that is beautifully developed, extremely realistic and very emotional. To realize how many sacrifices a parent has to make to raise a kid well in that kind of an environment is heart breaking. I loved the way the father instills in him good values. This is such a difficult thing even in ideal living conditions, I can't imagine how it is for them.
The discussion becomes, of course, what it means to be good. Are you still good when you ignore someone who will die of hunger?
More on my blog: https://readfinebooks.com/2022/06/04/the-road
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence