The Road in The Walking Read - A group for zombies and post-apoc fiction

Jan 03, 2014 Annie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: must-read-faves

OMG this book is an emotional roller coaster...it was bone chilling at times...and haunting....and the ending broke my heart, I openly sobbed..and am still teary eyed...what a fabulous story of love and struggle in a post apocalyptic world where you have to fight everyday to survive..this father/son relationship was beautiful....this is one I will carry with me for a long while...and will listen to again...I am very interested in reading more of this authors work.....keep in mind you will need t ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jul 14, 2012 Midnight Blue rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I liked this book but I didn't love it like I did his others; it was more spare and lacked the transcendent beauty of Cities of the Plain but it was still well worth the read. Ultimately a story of perseverance and love. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jan 11, 2025 Paul-Baptiste rated it it was amazing

Four and half stars because it is not perfect.

The Road is a haunting exploration of love, survival, and the human condition, set against the backdrop of a bleak, post-apocalyptic world. Through his stark writing style and unflinching vision, McCarthy immerses you in a landscape stripped of hope, where every step is a battle against the elements, starvation, and humanity's darker impulses.

At its heart is the poignant relationship between a father and his young son, their bond a glow of warmth in Four and half stars because it is not perfect.

The Road is a haunting exploration of love, survival, and the human condition, set against the backdrop of a bleak, post-apocalyptic world. Through his stark writing style and unflinching vision, McCarthy immerses you in a landscape stripped of hope, where every step is a battle against the elements, starvation, and humanity's darker impulses.

At its heart is the poignant relationship between a father and his young son, their bond a glow of warmth in an otherwise cold and desolate world. The boy’s innocence and trust balance the father’s determination to protect him at all costs, creating moments of quiet tenderness that are as profound as the dangers they face.

McCarthy’s prose is sparse yet evocative, rendering the ash-laden winds, crumbling roads, and gray skies with vivid, almost cinematic clarity. Much like the rest of the prose, the dialogue is minimalist. Conversations between the father and son are often brief, stripped down to their emotional core, and delivered without quotation marks, which adds to the novel's stark and raw atmosphere. This pared-back style reflects the harshness of their world—words are sparse, used only when necessary, much like their dwindling resources. The exchanges are poignant, capturing the tenderness and tension in their relationship. The father speaks with a sense of protectiveness and practicality, while the boy's questions often reflect his innocence and moral clarity, offering a counterbalance to the grimness of their reality.

Despite its brilliance, the novel has its flaws. Certain narrative conveniences—like the fortuitous caches of food—occasionally undercut the otherwise unrelenting realism. Similarly, the novel's resolution feels unexpectedly hopeful, a tonal shift that struck me as out of step with the grim inevitability of the rest of the story.

Even so, The Road is a great read. It’s a harrowing but profoundly moving meditation on love, endurance, and what it means to carry the fire of humanity in the darkest of times. ...more

Like · see review

Dec 29, 2012 Tai Sanders rated it really liked it

Great book !!!! As always it is a lot better than the movie same author as No Country for Old Men.

Like · see review

Oct 07, 2015 Albert Yates rated it it was amazing

Absolutely loved this book. Words can not explain how much.

Like · see review

Sep 08, 2015 Vicky Mullen rated it really liked it

Shelves: awesome

scared the hell outta me

Like · see review

Jun 17, 2012 Donna rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: post-apocalyptic, fiction, listening, rereading, apocalypse

I read this book years ago. Then I watched the movie. Now I have listened to the book and the narrator is very good.
This remains one of my all time fave stories of the apocalypse. It is really a story of love. A father's love for his son and a son's love for his father. It is a story of the boy taking on the job of survival from his father. It is so much.
I am so glad I read/listened to it again. ...more

Like · see review

Nov 29, 2015 Lena rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction, horror, 2015, post-apocalyptic

More of a 2.5 star read. I found this very difficult to get into. The writing style just is not for me. The characters not having names made it nearly impossible to connect. There is no character development. The world is a great setting for a post apocalyptic novel, but it just wasn't enough. ...more

Like · see review

Jan 20, 2010 Lee rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction, post-apocalyptic

"The Road" is a work of stunning, savage, heartbreaking beauty. In a post-apocalyptic world, an unnamed man and his son and their struggle for survival. Definitely worth reading, probably more than once. ...more

Like · see review