I am currently reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy. After authors Aubrey Mace and Krista Lynne Jensen raved about it on Goodreads, I thought I would give it a try. I haven't ever read anything like this before.If I were to choose one word to describe this book, it would be "bleak." It's a postapocalyptic novel, with simple, straightforward writing. In fact, the writing is so streamlined that the apostrophes are taken out of contractions, and there aren't any quotes for the dialogue. The man and the boy aren't given any names; in fact we're given very few specifics.
McCarthy also regularly writes this type of sentence:
"They collected some boxes and built a fire in the floor and he found some tools and emptied out the cart and sat working on the wheel."
Four "and"s! Can any of you picture writing a sentence like that? Yet McCarthy's books are national bestsellers, and he's won the National Book award. This guy must know his rules before he is smart enough to break them.
McCarthy is compared to William Faulkner. Guess who I need to read next? These books are literary--they take a few more brain cells than some of my other favorite books--but I feel like I'm learning so much. I should have majored in English.
Oh goody, this one's going right up on my to read list! Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeletesounds very interesting. Hmmm, that style sounds like a good way to "end" my punctuation issues.
ReplyDeletehahaha. Great point, Pat.
ReplyDeleteKaren, I think you'd really like it.
I love The Road. And I love Cormac McCarthy. He is one of my favorie authors.
ReplyDeleteAh. What makes you love him so much, sarahjayne?
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm glad you liked it! I found it fascinating, and "bleak" is a good word. Haunting.
ReplyDeleteCormac McCarthy has been one of my favorite authors for about 40 years now. His writing style can be a little difficult to get into at first, but once you get with his rhythm and adapt to his quirks I think he reads very smoothly.
ReplyDeleteTHE ROAD is certainly thematically different than his other novels. It reads quickly and is very bleak as has been described. The western trilogy that came out in the 90's is really fine. And some of his early writing gets downright bizarre. He does put me in mind of Faulkner, but maybe reminds me even more of Flannery O'Connor. If you've never read O'Connor, check her out--she is totally outre and much easier to read than Faulkner.
Lee
I haven't already raved about McCarthy to you too? I liked the Road a lot but I liked his rough western Blood Meridian even more-though it might even be bleaker and certainly much more violent. I am absolutely convinced the the villain in Blood Merdian is Cain-though Cormac has never answered a single question about the book.
ReplyDeleteI read it just last year. It was haunting and lyrical at the same time. Impressive scenario and gripping story. What more can one ask for?
ReplyDeleteWow! You guys have been holding out on me. Glad you all like him, too!
ReplyDeleteArlee, thanks for stopping by. Now I need to read O'Connor too.
David, I'll have to check out Blood Meridian. Isn't it crazy McCarthy doesn't talk about his stuff? I read somewhere that he doesn't like to talk about writing. Maybe he doesn't like to talk, period. I did see he's been divorced twice and just marred his third wife...but I'm not judging!!!
Maria, Oh! I didn't see you read it, too! Glad you liked it!
I love The Road and McCarthy for the brutal honesty of his writing. I never feel he's pulled any punches in his work. That's respectful or his readers and his words and I admire that.
ReplyDeleteThe incredible pictures he paints in his work is all the more amazing to me for the scarcity of words he uses. There is not one extraneous word in his work, and yet I don't ever feel that one is missing or that more words would make it better.
That's a goal I've been working toward as a writer for ten years now. Every word justifying its presence on the page, every one necessary, and not one too many.
And yes, his work can be dark and violent. But it's never gratuitous and it's quite beautiful, even lyrical in its darkness. But then I love dark, and violence in service of the story doesn't bother me.
I did major in English. While i appreciate literary work like Faulkner, Joyce, and O'Connor, I don't read it for fun. I should have majored in creative writing.
ReplyDeleteI'm not much for bleak. But I'll put this one on the Books I Should Read list. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteFunny you're reading this now. I bought it about two weeks ago and is next on my list to read! I'll let you know when I'm done. Love ya!
ReplyDeleteI loved this book even though the writing was stark. I read it so quickly because I needed to know what happened. I'll be awaiting your review :)
ReplyDeleteSarahjayne, I really admire that quality in a writer. No extra words. Love it. I'm also a succor for the dark. I don't know why. The lightest colors in my house make me feel the happiest. I like to write dark.
ReplyDeleteTamara, uh-oh. Two majors I should have chosen.
Carol, I'd be curious to hear what you think.
Chris, that's funny! We're definitely related.
Aubrie, I don't have the pull you felt, but I still admire and respect it.
It just goes to proof there is no 'right' way or 'wrong' way to construct a sentence. What works, works.
ReplyDeleteGives hope to the masses :)
It doesn't sound like my kind of book, but I like hearing what's out there.
ReplyDeleteI think "and" can be used for effect, but that sentence doesn't seem to do it.