The Road - Cormac McCarthy

A Spoiler Free Bit About The Book

The man and the boy journey along the road, headed south, trying everything they can to stay alive in the grey surroundings left by the apocalypse. 

My Review

Before I start, I don't think I fully 'got' this book. I think I was reading far too shallow and if I'd gone deeper I would've enjoyed the whole thing a lot more. I understand why this book is so famous and acclaimed but it wasn't for me.

I loved how the two characters were simply 'the man' and 'the boy' and how they could've been anyone. It set the sad tone for the book. Though they could've been anyone, I found it surprisingly easy to get to know the two characters.

The Road was just full of the most beautiful descriptions but they just went over my head. It seemed too much and it was too heavy. I really struggled to picture anything because of the amount of description. Saying this though, the sentences flowed altogether in the most magnificent way. But because of the repetitiveness of the book I felt like I'd read the same description over and over. I'm sure it's meant to feel like that but I didn't enjoy the sensation, I just got bored.

Not enough was going on for my taste. I don't need action jam packed into every page but I do need a bit of something. I was thrilled every time they spoke but even then I wasn't sure what was going on and who was speaking because there are no paragraph breaks. I know it's supposed to be ambiguous but it was really difficult for me to follow at all.

I suppose I just didn't get on with the style at all.

I must also mention that this is the first book I've read all the way through on the Kindle and I didn't like it. I want to see the pages and know how far I am through by looking, rather than the percentage at the bottom. I like turning pages and physically progressing. I can't believe how much I struggled with the Kindle but it just really isn't for me.

After everything, the ending was so powerful and brilliant it brought a tear to my eye even though I'm pretty sure I missed the point to the whole novel.

Evaluation

Plot - 9/10 - there was nothing wrong with the idea at all

Way Plot Was Pursued - 7/10 - I felt a little more could've happened

Characters - 7/10 - it was hard to work out who was doing what

Style - 7/10 - just because I didn't get on with it doesn't make it bad

Pace - 8/10 - the pace was okay, sped up towards the end

Would I recommend it? No. I would end up putting someone off by trying to explain it and I don't want to do that.

Would I look up the author? No. I didn't get on with his style enough.

The Road is a book I would've enjoyed much more had I analysed every sentence. It's a book to study rather than read.

Molly Looby

Author / Editor / Ghostwriter / Blogger / Reviewer / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Ready

molly.looby@hotmail.com