The Road
£2.43
Bleak, grim, but with just a flicker of hope - The bleakest thing about this book is that it is set several years after some catastrophic disaster (most probably a nuclear war) which has devastated the Earth (or, at least, the part our protagonists are wandering through). This means that supplies have almost completely dried up, flora and fauna have died out, and the world depicted is one of desperation, cannibalism and little hope. However, the one element which runs throughout the book that gives this story some beauty is the man s obvious love for his son. This is the only thing which stops him from killing himself as the shining light which is his boy is the only thing he can find or see of any worth in this new and hellish landscape. In some ways the story seems almost religiously allegoric, especially the end, as if the boy might even become humanity s hope, a kind of Christ-like figure, but such considerations are very subtle.It s an unusual post-apocalyptic story as it lacks for the usual band of survivors clinging together and eking out a reasonable living from a devastated landscape, with the potential for salvation at the end of the story. This story seems to be just one small moment (a few weeks, all in all) of a much bigger story, the past of which is sketchily detailed in the occasional flashback.But that, in many ways, gives it a purity which allows this little literary masterpiece to soak over you and give you a flavour of a horrible and harsh existence which, hopefully, none of us will ever experience. As I read it I felt the cold they were suffering chill my own bones, and the hunger and desperation they felt cause me to seek out food, warmth and friends.It s an impactive little read and one I would highly recommend to those who can handle such a bleak storyline as there are, indeed, moments of joy and hope hidden in here, and those lift one s heart and allow one to breath a sigh of relief and close the book for a while, knowing that, for just the one or two nights, the characters within are suffering less.
The Road - `The Road by Cormic McCarthy is about a father and son who are two of the only survivors of an unexplained apocalypse and their journey through deserted America on their way south to try and beat the cold weather. I wasn t a fan at all of McCarthy s novel No Country For Old Men as although the story was good, I hated the writing style, so I was very sceptical about reading `The Road but thanks so Amazon Vine I got a free copy so gave it a read and I am so glad I did read it as it is one of the most moving and well written books I have read in a long time (despite his returning bad writing style).After a slow start tp the book, I was about to give up as the main characters were literally walking then sleeping, walking then sleeping with literally nothing else happening for the first 55 pages or so and just as I was about to give up with it the pace sped up, the story got more exciting and I was hooked. I actually read this in one (short-ish) sitting and loved the last three-quarters immensely. The apocalypse is sort of a side story, something that is just there and has happened. This story is mainly about the relationship between a man and his son in the most extreme and difficult circumstances and the outcome is very emotional, disturbing and heartwarming all at once.Overall I will happily be recommending this book to others and anyone who doesn t read this is definitely missing out!
The road to hell.......... - Cripes! Don t read this book if you live alone!A haunting, mesmeric tale that will stay with you for hours after you ve put the book down. I read it in 4 sittings during a bout of insomnia over Christmas and believe me you re absolutely chuffed to see the dawn rise after inhabiting the sunless world of the survivors for a couple of hours.Bleak, but not without hope. This book will hook you big time. Buy it now!
Helpless, but not hopeless - If you don t know that Cormac McCarthy is one of America s greatest living novelists, and if for some reason you haven t already read his Suttee, Border Trilogy, or Blood Meridian, now s the time to make up for it with this taut, lean tale of survival on a scorched Earth, told in a prose style as hypnotic and rhythmic as a drum beat. It is a harrowing, forceful work of literature.
A Journey Worth Taking - I read this book in one sitting. I did not want to miss any of the wonderful and haunting writing. The story of a seemingly pointless journey through a post apocalyptic landscape by a father and son is truly a coruscating experience. At times the simple things in life, which we all take for granted are thrown into sharp relief by the very desolation and destruction surrounding the protagonists. A simple story, simply told. No reason or justification is given for the holocaust, this is not the story of super heroes or high level politicians surviving the debacle. Simply a story of human courage, honesty and endurance. Some parts are not for the squeamish, but I found it haunting, memorable and very moving.