The Road in SciFi and Fantasy Book Club

Dec 29, 2008 Kristjan rated it it was ok

Shelves: reviewed, science-fiction, bookclub-selection

I read this purely on the fact that is was the selection of the month for the club. To be honest, it is not something that I would have picked up myself despite the award of a Pulitzer Prize.

I didn't like it. Sure, I recognized the sparse writing style which lent an artsy feel to the prose (and was probably what earned it the Pulitzer and is why I give it 2 stars instead of 1), but the book was an ordeal from start to finish. It had no purpose what so ever except to make the reader feel like the ...more

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Jul 10, 2008 Sarah rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction_non_genre

I'm speechless. Possibly scarred. It was beautifully written, but there is no beauty in it, except for the love between the nameless father and son. Wrong book to finish at lunch, since now I have to speak to people and be cheerful. I really need to find an upbeat book to read next. ...more

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Dec 13, 2009 Chad rated it did not like it

I guess I shouldn't judge a book by how others reacted to it, but as a regular reader of speculative fiction, I have read many similar stories that I enjoyed far more. The way people who would never consider themselves readers of genre fiction have gushed over this particularly tepid example has really soured me toward this book itself. As for the work itself, its appeal seems to rely on its "artistic" use of language and the maudlin sentiment expressed therein. Really at its heard it's a pulp s ...more

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Mar 12, 2009 Kenny rated it liked it

I Never read a Cormac McCarthy book before, but "The Road" was on so many people's lists on Good reads that I figured I would try it. I loved the idea of the book, and the setting, but his writing style is so odd. I will say I believe it is on purpose and that is why I did not go lower with my score. My main complaints are:

His metaphors and description often make no sense at all to me. I understand if you think about it, you can think about what he is saying and figure it out, but I am reading a I Never read a Cormac McCarthy book before, but "The Road" was on so many people's lists on Good reads that I figured I would try it. I loved the idea of the book, and the setting, but his writing style is so odd. I will say I believe it is on purpose and that is why I did not go lower with my score. My main complaints are:

His metaphors and description often make no sense at all to me. I understand if you think about it, you can think about what he is saying and figure it out, but I am reading a book, not playing a puzzle game.

Ideas do not flow or connect from one page to the other. I assume this was on purpose because it is from the characters point of view (sometimes), and I suppose it is supposed to show you how the days kind of blur due to their hunger and fatigue etc. I will give him the benefit of the doubt there, it is kind of a cool idea.

He switches between 3rd person and 1st person really abruptly. I think the book would have been a lot easier to follow if it was just all in third person.

When they switch to 1st person and there is dialogue, it is very mundane conversation and he does not use quotation marks. I know that is also on purpose and probably a reason why he is seen as a unique writer, but it is just confusing to me. I just finished reading "Carrie" as well, and I have read a lot of Stephen King, and he kind of does the same thing. The way King uses dialogue always confused me, but it is not even close to as bad as McCarthy uses it. At some points I had to go back and track line by line who said what, but then sometimes it was not back and forth even, so a lot of the time I was just guessing who said what.

The way McCarthy uses "the man" and "the boy" instead of names is annoying. There is only 2 characters, we can know their names. I know this was on purpose too, but it is kind of pretentious to me.

The fact you never know what caused the world to be fucked up is annoying. Did I miss something? I feel like I wasn't paying attention and missed the reasoning. I did daze off a few times but I don't feel like I missed anything.

Anyway that is it, overall the writing was annoying, but I did enjoy the book, and I loved the tone and how sad it was. I really did feel the desperation they were going through, and the end was especially heart breaking. ...more

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Dec 19, 2008 Jillian rated it really liked it

This book is absolutely devastating. Devastatingly beautiful and devastatingly depressing. I loved the format of the text...no real chapters or markers of any sort. It forces you to trudge through this book in the same way the characters trudge through the landscape.

This is the type of book that you can't help but remember. It definitely makes you appreciate what you have and the have and the people in your life. I would definitely recommend this one. ...more

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Jan 16, 2008 Kristen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 1-read-2008, favorites-recommend

I really believe that how people interpret the ending of this book, depends on where their own outlook is at. I saw it as happy and it made me smile. The negative parts hadn't really crossed my mind. I enjoyed this book. The outlook of the world is gruesome and sad. The characters did their best with what they had, what else was there to do. I liked that idea of not many choices. ...more

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