Comments on: The Road (Book Review)

By: James

James — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 16:05:11 +0000

To Kelsie,

I think you did miss the point of the entire thing, that is the stylistic idea, that there is no point, mankind is slowly winding down towards its own inevitable end. I think you were expecting the book the trailer makes it out to be, some kind of racy sci-fi thriller that is fast paced and has a lot of action. I wasn’t written in a commercially minded way which makes the film hard to market to its potential audeince. I’ve read the book and seen the film and they’re designed to make you think about something more than what is being depicted, like a metaphor for as you said a philosophical idea. It is supposed to show us what the real world would look like if this kind of thing happened, whatever did happen.

The reason it was ugly and morbid is because that is how McCartney percieves the human race under those circumstances. It is a book that serves a purpose, unlike most that have Yes, happy) endings but also endings that were predictable, and commercially engineered to produce emotions of happiness, romance, tension, e.t.c. of getting people to talk about it and to have differing opinions, like me and you.

There is however a speck of comparative beauty at the end of the book, not giving any spoilers, and the whole style has a sort of morbid beauty to it I think, the colours and the landscapes have a sense of melancholy that I would describe as beautiful.

Anyways that was my opinion,

James

By: Kelsie

Kelsie — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 04:24:09 +0000

Seriously? I hated the book. I was excited to read it. I was required to read the first fifty pages for class tomorrow and couldn’t stop so i finished it tonight. I’m pissed. What was the point of that? The whole time I was waiting to find out that the boy was just the mans imagination. Or maybe the dad would have to kill the boy himself. Or at least some sort of turning point. I kept trying to guess the ending and failed when really thinking logically it was the only ending that you could easily expect to be bored by. I kept waiting to hear more about the fire they were carrying, and whatever the deal was with the boys mother. did she just kill herself? thats it? Also what the heck is with all the made up words. That was driving me crazy. like it was supposed to be some sort of modernized shakespearian iambic pentameter crap. I like made up words just as much as the next person but maybe one or two per novel is the max. Not 2 or more per sentance. This book could have been so much better. and what is so special about the father son relationship? They barely speak and when they do it is “I dont know what do you think….” sprinkled with some “Are we still the good guys?” Sure an interesting question the first time I read it and then it just became monotonous. We get it, you doubt your motives. And really i think it is fairly safe to assume that several other father son pairs had the exact same situation where the father repeatedly risked himself for the son. Nothing new there.

So was the kid a god? What was the fire they were carrying? I am extremely frustrated that I have spent so much time reading this novel. What on earth was the point? I could have spent that time appreciating the color and life and food and warmth in my pre-apocolyptic world. Did I miss something great and philosphical? To me it just seemed like a morbid ugly picture to look at. I understand that painfull and upsetting images like the raft of the medusa or what have you are much more interesting than unicorns kissing in a field but at least the raft of the medusa has a hint of beauty and balance and skill in it. In the road the only images I got were hideously ugly and morbid. A charred baby infant half eaten…. Seriously? This is what you call a masterpiece. This is definetly not my favorite novel.

Not for me at all.

Severly disapointed.

By: beardoboyo

beardoboyo — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 04:57:20 +0000

There is a part in the novel where it switches tofirst person narration. I cannot find it now, but was surprised when it appeared as I read, as it seemed it would lead to introducing a character who had been following/watching the man and boy. WHat do you think it meant?

By: Fortboy

Fortboy — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 17:03:13 +0000

I’m halfway through the Road on my new Kindle. I watched No Country for Old Men last week and really enjoyed the dialogue and when reading up on that movie I learned that most of the dialogue was true to the book. So, I then researched the author of NCFOM and read up Cormac McCarthy and noticed that one book about the apocalypse won a Pulitzer. I was intrigued. I couldn’t hardly put the book down last night. It is that good. Great review and I can’t wait to get back to my book now!

By: Tommy

Tommy — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 05:09:26 +0000

The Road is next on my list of books to read.

I love how my first car makes an appearance at the :28 mark, the shitty red Pontiac.

By: Gavin Steele

Gavin Steele — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:26:23 +0000

Wow that was a great review. I was actually looking at getting this as part of a three book collection in the UK but it was just to bulky to take on the plane.

Thanks for not posting any spoilers.

I think I am going to have a look at getting an e-reader of some sort as I am in the middle of traveling. So if this is available then I’ll download it.

Thanks again.

By: Josh

Josh — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:45:16 +0000

I was looking forward to that movie, but didn’t know there was a book, I should check it out.

I just read a book called Alas, Babylon that was a “what if the russians had nuked us?” book written in the 60′s. I enjoyed it. It was not very scifi but focused on the fight for survival. It is a quick read if you are looking for something else in that vein.

By: kyle

kyle — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:35:29 +0000

One of my favourite books of recent years. I’ll probably see the movie, but early reviews have not been good, and I don’t really see it translating well into a movie. Theron’s role looks much bigger in the movie too, which dashes my hopes even further.

Nice review though. Looking forward to more.