From the Bookshelf of Nothing But Reading Challenges…

The Road

Cormac McCarthy

Start date: September 2, 2014

Finish date: September 30, 2014

Discussion: Books of the Month

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What Members Thought

Sep 23, 2013 Nancy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: literature, dystopia

This is a dark and chilling novel which has a tension about it which means you just keep turning the pages. It is written in a very spare style with little punctuation. The sparseness of the writing matches the devastating bareness of the post-apocalyptic landscape which the man and the boy and walking through. You find yourself asking where they are going? They seem to have no end-goal - the only goal is to keep walking. It is a terrifying vision of a future where almost all humanity is gone, a ...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Cora rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, dystopia, post-apocalyptic, apocalypse

In the aftermath of a worldwide disaster (seems like a nuclear explosion) a man and his son travel south hoping to survive the bitter cold that has gripped their world. They travel through the desolation scavenging for food and water and avoiding other survivors. It is a story of survival and hope that at the end of the road they will find the other good guys. I really liked this book, despite its dismal nature. The relationship between the man and the boy was quite moving. The descriptions, mos ...more

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Jun 25, 2011 Netanella rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: post-apocalyptic

I am amazed by the beautiful craftsmanship of such utter desolation in this novel. Really, really, really a good read.

1 like · Like · see review

Oct 01, 2015 Rebekah rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-science-fiction, genre-fiction, genre-contemporary, genre-novels, genre-classics, genre-literature, genre-science-fiction-dystopia, genre-horror, genre-apocalyptic-post-apocalyptic, genre-science-fiction-apocalyptic

What a disappointment. I have been wanting to read this one forever!

Boring. No plot. No characterization. No dialogue. No background. This book is not even scary!

Then...it is also chock-full of pseudo-deep philosophical lines like this: "Who is it? said the boy. I dont know. Who is anybody?"

I was laughing out loud at moments like that, but I don't think this is supposed to literary satire, is it?

I was ready to shoot that boy who all he did was cry and say he was cold.

This book makes no sense wh ...more

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May 31, 2011 Alison rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audiobooks-read

Finished listening to this as an audiobook yesterday (does that count as reading?). Excellent book -- a poignant relationship between father and son, and cannibals as well. Will seek out more by Cormac McCarthy.

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