The Road - Cormac McCarthy

r3nu4l

I know a few people here have read it and I enjoyed the book to a great extent myself. The book was gripping but overall, far less harrowing than I had expected from all I've heard. I also found it to be slightly disappointing and hollow!

I suppose overall, I found it a fascinating read but am completely confused by how I feel about the whole exercise, first time I've ever felt that way about a book!

Any other opinions on this?

TedB

r3nu4l wrote: »

I know a few people here have read it and I enjoyed the book to a great extent myself. The book was gripping but overall, far less harrowing than I had expected from all I've heard. I also found it to be slightly disappointing and hollow!

I suppose overall, I found it a fascinating read but am completely confused by how I feel about the whole exercise, first time I've ever felt that way about a book!

Any other opinions on this?

I echo your thoughts. I read it about a month ago and while I did like it and did find it rather moving and frightening it was just...

I don't know. I just wasn't moved to the same level as other people seem to have been. Its something I can't put right in words.

Linguo

I love the book but I love all books like that so for me it wasn't anything astonishing above a book like say The Stand by Stephen King. The writing was sparse but quite beautiful and the book left me wanting more! For serious readers, I think it's a theme that they maybe don't encounter as much, whereas I love books like that and other horror scary ones as well as mainstream fiction so was delighted a book like that had won the pulitzer!

zesman

Read it last year. The Road is an amazing harrowing book. Not usually what you anticipate from McCarthy. Frightening and tender. I'd highly recommend it. When's the film due out?

Linguo

Think around Christmas!

Pappy o' daniel

Maybe they'll show it just as people are tucking into roast leg of turkey...

doctor evil

I know Vigo Mortenson (sp?) is playing the role of the man, who is doing the role of the boy?

Sleazus

The boy is Kodi Smit-McPhee, a relative unknown (he was in Romulus, My Father with Eric Bana, though). It does feature Guy Pearce, Robert Duvall and Charlize Theron, though - as well as Michael K. Williams (Omar from The Wire).

The movie seems to be generating good word-of-mouth, save a scathing Variety review and it looks like this is where the Weinsteins are lumping all their Oscar hopes.

jcsmum

It will be very interesting to see the film version of the book. I read it too during the year. I found it really gripping and a bit scary. I have a small son and the book made me think of him all the time and how I would protect him... hard to explain but it was really meaningful for me.

Funglegunk

This is the only book by Cormac McCarthy I've read, is all his dialogue written in a similar way? Because to be honest I found it really irritating!

r3nu4l

At first I found it difficult to get used to but in the end found it okay. Jesse Kellerman sometimes has dialogue like that in his books as well. I don't know anything else about McCarthy's writing.

John

Funglegunk wrote: »

This is the only book by Cormac McCarthy I've read, is all his dialogue written in a similar way? Because to be honest I found it really irritating!

No, it's the exact opposite of his usual style which is much longer sentences, archaic words and phrases, etc. His other books are almost Biblical in style.

Personally The Road was one of the most harrowing, realistic and frightening books I've ever read. The tension of the man and the boy just existing without knowing what the next day would bring was almost too much at times. Unlike The Stand where there was the idea of good versus evil and community surviving an apocalypse, the utter isolation and futileness of life in The Road is something that many authors never contemplate.

-Els-

I read The Road a few months ago, I'm glad other people feel the same way as I did after I read it! I was kind of torn, it was really fascinating, the relationship between the boy and his father, the harrowing nature of the book. But at the same time it was really disturbing and disconcerting and I was kind of revolted in parts.

I'm not sure how it will translate into a film though...

KevinH

I read the Road in one sitting on a flight to the USA.
It was absorbing in that I couldn't put it down BUT there is a certain hollowness about it that I can't put my finger on. The boy was just too lucky ... the main narrative didn't ring true.
Having said that the surrounding world was realistic and harrowing.

RonMexico

Just finished it. Very disappointed with the book. Can't believe it won the Pulitzer.

I just found it utterly predictable and cliched, not to mention preachy. The ending was MacGuyveresque.

Valmont

It's interesting how polarised opinions are on this book! Personally, I found the style of writing very poignant and packing quite a punch. Simple lines of dialogue that wouldn't usually resonate were given an extra emphasis due their sparsity. I'm actually finding it hard to describe it was that unique (nothing like I've ever read anyway)! This line

"I cant hold my son dead in my arms. I thought I could but I cant"

really stuck with me because it was the moment when the man just broke his utterly focussed veneer to reveal his own turmoil which wasn't as evident before. I felt this line was a climax of sorts for the suspense of their survival. Damn, I have to read this one again, soon!

thenakedanddead

I read it about a month or two ago. Rather enjoyable.

ush

I know its not mentioned in the book, but it must have been nuclear right?

Revolution9

ush wrote: »

I know its not mentioned in the book, but it must have been nuclear right?

Nope. Crab People.

Doozie

I was recommended this book by my brother in law who just had a son. He felt he thought the book was excellent because he could relate more to it considering he was a new father.

On reading the book I could understand what he meant but as I do not have a son (or am not a man for that matter) I couldn't relate. The narrative did not allow it. At least for me.
I was disappointed with the book and felt a bit empty inside after reading it, but at the same time, I can imaging that was the point. So maybe I did 'get it'. I definitely wouldn't pay a tenner to go to the movies to see it though.

Thought the story was alright but didn't really think it was harrowing.

Must admit I was surprised at the size of the font and the generous
line spacing.

The movie version was a good take on the book.

parker kent

ush wrote: »

I know its not mentioned in the book, but it must have been nuclear right?

It is not mentioned because it is open ended, it could be anything. It could be any one of dozens of potential apocalyptic events. Not knowing is part of the mystery.

BopNiblets

This shot of the film suggests to me it was some sort of meteor impact that caused tsunamis or something to get the boats inland, and the ash everywhere could be explained by meteor too I suppose, that's my theory anyway!

calex71

While I actually did enjoy the story and very much so I might add, the style of writing and how it was told annoyed me a little. The only other McCarthy book I have read is Child of God, whose writing style also bugged me but again I liked as a story (disturbing as it was) . Are they representative of his other works over all? I found those 2 a little short also.

Was temped by blood meridian and also no country for old men.

Linguo

No Country for Old Men is a fabulous book (and movie) and again they're both very faithful to one another. His style of writing is sparse but once you aquaint yourself with it it's very powerful.

parker kent

BopNiblets wrote: »

This shot of the film suggests to me it was some sort of meteor impact that caused tsunamis or something to get the boats inland, and the ash everywhere could be explained by meteor too I suppose, that's my theory anyway!

I wouldn't use a film where McCarthy had no creative input as having any meaningful insight into the book. What happened before the book is not as important as the relationship between the boy and his father. It is meant to be mysterious and unknown.

Mr Benevolent

Apparently the book is going to be re-released with a newer title. It'll be called 'Om Nom Nom.'