Good book, enjoyed it

[Carly]

It's me - Carly . . . I enjoyed The Road. Of course, I like all Cormac's books.

The only one I found just too violent and repetitive was 'Blood Meridian'.

[Beth]

THE ROAD is so DEPRESSING!

[Vince]

I read The Road during one of the most depressing times of my life. The perspective it offered was invaluable and redemptive. A great, truly great book. Top rank. Right up there with The Old Man and the Sea as a metaphor for life itself.

[uh8myzen]

Vince wrote: "Right up there with The Old Man and the Sea as a metaphor for life itself. "

I agree wholeheartedly. It was a reminder how beautiful ugliness can be in the hands of an artist.

Its one of my all time favourites.

[TrumanCoyote]

Thought it was lame.

[Kate]

Beautifully written. This was my first book by Cormac that I've read and I have not seen the movie. I actually didn't find it too depressing and liked the strength it showed in the two characters and how they kept moving on with hope of something better.

[Smith]

Incredible work of fiction. As a father, his words invoked very painful imagery.

I could never watch the movie.

[Brandy]

You can miss the movie because it completely missed the target. Some things just cant be portayed on the screen. Too much inner dialogue in the book that wa slost in the movie.

[Joe]

The book propelled itself forward through the strong goals of the leading characters. It took us through the hell we can create on this planet if we aren't careful. The last paragraph is one of my favorite in all of literature. One I wish everyone could not only read, but understand.

[Rachael]

Read this around the time it came out. Remember finding it powerful. It was one of those books that I did not put down much-just kept reading. Did not even have a second book going. In a way, I found a lot of hope in the story.....I will be rereading it for a fall book club at our local college.

[Library Lady 📚]

I still can hardly breathe when i think about this book. I can't even begin to describe the feelings it creates. I can't imagine a parent not being dumbstruck by parts of it.

If you're thinking of reading this, my whole review is here: http://lenahillbrand.blogspot.com/

[Christine]

I bought it at the airport for something to read, not knowing what it was besides on the best seller list at the time. This book is frightening on many levels to me. But I have to say, great art leaves its mark by making you have strong feelings, so I guess I can consider it art! So different from anything else I have read. Whatever the word to describe 10 levels up from "poignant" is how I would describe this work. Not my favorite book, but certainly left its mark on me!

[Paula]

I loved this book, but I knew going in it would be heavy-going.

I thought it actually offered hope, because of its themes of what it means to be human in an inhuman time, and was between the father and son.

If anyone's interested, my review is here:
http://paula-greatstories.blogspot.co...

[Laura]

I too loved this book, I also enjoyed the film though I agree it can't portray the same depth of meaning that the book does. I loved the relationship between the father and the son and the suspense of their survival at times had me on the edge of my seat so to speak. I also loved the beauty that came through the fathers words and the sons innocence in such an awful situation.

However one of the things I disliked was the ending, for me I would have liked to have seen the son survive on his own using the lessons his father taught him before joining the other family. I even felt that it could have ended with the fathers death and it would have had more of an impact emotionally for me. What do other people think?

[Joan]

I agree with Laura. Somehow the ending seemed inauthentic, as if McCarthy suddenly decided--well, this is too dark, so I'd better append something positive and uplifting. It would have been best to end with the father's death and leave the rest to the reader's imaginatiion.

[Pickle]

the only book ive read where ive thought its possible for any Tom, Dick or Harry to write a book.

Man goes from A to B without little happening.

[Joan]

Disagree heartily. It's the language and the mood that McCarthy creates that makes The Road a good book.

[Joe]

@Joan: Thank you. Writing like McCarthy does is NOT easy. It might appear easy, but it is very difficult to have the words as lean and hungry as the characters.

@Pickle: I read the same book and read about a father and son going from A to Z(squared), and a lot happened. So much so, I couldn't stop wondering what happened to the world before this narrative started.

[Rick]

Great book, but the bleakest thing I have ever read. The world McCarthy evokes so well is barren, hopeless, and frighteningly palpable. This is the kind of book that can keep you up at night.

I haven't seen the movie, but I can't imagine that it can do the book justice. There is a great deal that is implied in the book that would likely be lost in a movie.