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

Aug 16, 2016 Lena rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: apocalypse, favourites, read-ages-ago

Случайно наткнулась на это уникальное творение. Не скажу, что книга читается на одном дыхании - мне понадобилось сделать несколько перерывов. И не из-за нехватки времени. Скорее чтобы переварить происходящее в книге, восстановить равновесие в голове.
Мне очень нравятся книги постапокалиптики, нравится идея рухнувшего мира. Эдакая мечта разбить вдребезги кем-то написанный сценарий наших монотонных жизней, захлебывающейся в материальных ценностях бытовухи. А тут автор представляет настолько гнятущи ...more

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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

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