Book Review: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

A father and his son walk alone through burned America.
“You have my whole heart. You always did.”
Some books are an experience. This is one of them. Exhausting, bleak, brutal, heartbreaking... certain parts will just stay with me forever.

This was my first encounter with Cormac McCarthy and the beautifully poetic prose prompted me to buy yet another one of his books (I already have Blood Meridian on my shelf). His writing is GORGEOUS. The short, blunt sentences and the minimal use of dialogue would normally frustrate me, but McCarthy just makes it work. It perfectly reflects the stark, cold world that this man and his son find themselves living in. It’s stunning.

I love the relationship between the father and son. You can really feel how much they need each other, in a world where they have nothing else. My main overriding thought during a lot of this was that I just could NOT survive this. I don’t think I would have the same hope or perseverance that these characters did! And my heart was simply breaking by the end...

It doesn’t get the full five stars from me because the repetitiveness got a little tiring at times... and I honestly am just greedy and want to know more about what actually happened etc.

By far the most bleak and depressing post-apocalyptic book I’ve ever read, yet it will remain one of my favourites. 4.5 stars.

Johann
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