The Road by Cormac McCarthy (2007, Paperback)

My rating would have to fall between Good and Excellent. A unique writing style that was a little confusing at times but a very quick read. I love the setting in the post-apocalyptic world. Although the destructive force isn't stated it is easy to assume from the clues.
When self preservation isn't enough this story demonstrates the strength of a parents devotion to his child. The suffering is graphic, the decisions forced on them make you question what would you do, who would you help when faced with your own survival.
I am a huge fan of stories of this nature. The world as we know it destroyed, men reduced to animal instincts. On that line as well this story is brilliant. The author obviously did his research and thought out many compelling situations that would face the last of the survivors after years of suffering.
My dislikes, I wish this story could have been much longer. I would have loved exploring the years before. The details of the events leading up to the story. And of course what happens next? With out giving anything away, what more happened to the characters?
Obviosly this book wouldn't be what it is if the author had to include everything that I wanted. Starting the story where he did was an excellent touch but it leaves you hungry to have more. I have more questions than answers but that is the nature of the beast.
I read this book cover to cover in two days which is normally difficult for me due to lack of free time. I made free time! Sequal please!!

I bought this book simply because it had been recommended by so many of my friends. That is also the reason why I continued to read it. I kept thinking it HAD to get better because all my friends loved it. I, however, found not much to like about it.

The subject is depressing as is the landscape the two travel through. I found it very had to know exactly who was speaking on some pages - the father or the son. I figure this was done on purpose; "and a child shall lead them," but it's a style I found annoying. The book could probably have been trimmed by many pages if you take out the repeated descriptions of the devastated landscape. Those descriptions became redundant very close to the beginning of the book.

Although the end left a shred of optimism, I would recommend NOT reading this book if you are the least bit depressed or are facing a difficult time. SO easy to slip into the dark mood. Not a book I enjoyed at all, on any level.

It was bleak from start to finish. The landscape is post enviornmental apocalypse of ash and cold overcast weather. The father and son are traveling south to find warmth while fending off cannibals. Cormac McCarthy is a very good writer but you could guess the entire story from the first 30 pages. The only reason I kept reading was to see the resolution of the problem. Sorry more beakness which I could have guessed. Really pointless. This is the type of environmental theorizing and terrorizing that keeps us paralyzed with fear at the magnitude of the problem. This book was not helpful. McCarthy is old school.

Not impressed.

I heard this book was so good, so decided to buy it.
It was bleak, and at times tugging at my heart...the boy and his dad.
After reading it I had two distinct feelings.
1. I felt depressed at the thought of this happening to our world, my world.
2. I was very thankful for what I have....and for my family and friends.

This is book is a masterpiece. McCarthy's depiction of post apocolyptic America is one that is chilling, captivating, and totally believable. Never have I been so immersed and held in suspense throughout a novel like I have in The Road. His main characters are thrust into a world where there are no heroes, only those who can survive by any means possible, even if that means cannabalizing eachother. Such a world has the main characters questioning even their own moralities. This is a father and son tale told like none I've ever read before. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone. You will not be disappointed.

i dont read vary fast takes me a month to get through a book but could not put this book down!!!!!! its that (((great))) i was able to finsh it in four days i would read a quarter of the book a night or till my eyes swell'd shut i just hope the movie will stay true.

I bought the book after my friend recommended it to me, and I loved it! I couldn't put it down. It is a story about the survival of a father and son in an incinerated world. It kept me reading and wondering if this was possible in real life. If you like this book, I found a movie that was similar called Tooth and Nail. Overall, it is a great book.

This book was probably the best book that I read in a long time. It was very easy and fast to read. I am very slow reader and it took me 2 days to read this one. I could not put it down. It was very descriptive which I like because I like to formulate whats going on in my mind while I read. It is suppose to be released as a movie and I do not think that the movie will be as good. I doubt that they will show a roasing baby in a the movie. With that said go read the book!

This book is one note. In the first 10 pages, I was ready to get to the story and I quickly realized that this was it. I also think that the author has a very grim outlook for humanity. I found this book both boring and disturbing at the same time, and I was annoyed with every scenario that he came up with. Anyone can think of something grosser than gross and he did that over and over again without any creativity or purpose. I found the words tiring and I just wanted it to end.

This was one of the best books that I have ever read. It's great. I highly suggest getting it and reading it before the movie comes out. honestly it's really really good.

This book was ok , I read it in about 3 hours , so it wasnt a large amount of wasted time. Not a book that I would ever read again , quick to resell or trade at the book store

No expectations - that was my mindset going into the book. The beginning was pretty strange, the tone was a bit horrid. But it got me to read more. It painted a picture of a very bleak world. One where one's survival is almost automatically equivalent to someone's demise. There were few instances when I had the urge to just put the book down and stop reading altogether - it was those chapters when there's so much talk about killing or be killed. It was during those chapters when the little boy had to witness morbidity where any human shouldn't ever have to see. But something about it kept me going. I Think it was those tender moments between a father and a son. It was those acts of sacrifice each both of them made out of love. Its even those horrible things they're willing to do just to protect each other. I was reading the book with strong hope that they will come out of this gruesome existence. I was hoping that there was a final destination where all the suffering will finally be over. But the more I read on, the more pain, the more death, the more horrid it became. I looked at the book and I was already almost at the end - and I'm still clearing up my own tears - because the father is getting sicker, the little boy has been robbed of his innocence. Will this ever get better??? Well at the end...should I tell you the end? Here's what I can tell you - the little boy is still on the road - perhaps he is the chosen one to carry the light - perhaps there really is a final destination. Perhaps the romantic in me wishes there was a better ending.

The writing is marvelous, the prose near poetry in it's lyricism. And yet it is about a most horrific event: post apocolyptic America, a man and his son in the midst of nuclear winter - a landscape of danger and death and bleak simplicity.

"The Road" examines hope as a catalyst of life and poses over and over again, the question of life and what one will do to sustain it. What are we willing to do to survive? Is being alive the same as living? Where does love come into the equation of life and living and meaning?

Father and son walk a dangerous road avoiding beggars, cannibals, murderers. Yet, they are in search of life, looking for the "good guys" all the while with only a smidgen of hope sustained by their love of one another and the father's memories of a life not so bleak. But they may be as dead as the world around them.

This is an overwhelming and powerful book. Not for someone looking for an upbeat story.

Man, oh man! Is this one BLEAK book! Definitely not a happy-time read. That being said, I couldn't put this down!! Any father (particularly a father of a son) would have a hard time not being moved by this apocalyptic story of a father and son's journey. Did I mention that it was BLEAK though? Truly was.

Oprah's book club selection...very interesting story about the incredible dynamic between a father and son after a nuclear holocaust. While it tended to be dark and sometimes without hope, the true story really seemed to be more about the profound connection of a father to his son and how they survive. I am sure it will eventually become a movie.

This was one of the best books I have ever read. It will provoke you like none other to think about what is important.

The author has a very unique writing style. It took some getting use to (and maybe I'm still not use to it) but he's so descriptive and detailed. So in the end I enjoyed the style. The book is love story between a father and son and their journey along "The Road". I won't give any details about what they go through, but I found myself treasuring my own daughter more and more as I kept on reading. I read about a book a month and was given this book as a gift. I didn't know what to expect but this ranks as one of the better books I've read. Like one of the other reviews I read about this book, I wish the book was longer. Regardless, I highly recommend this book.

McCarthy does a great job of binding you with the characters in his interesting style. You feel like you are suffering right along with them in the post apocalyptic landscape that seems so real and so within the realm of possibility.

This is the first book by this author I've read so it was interesting to see how his writing style would suit me. Although I don't believe the book should be considered one of the best books of the year it is a good book. While reading it, it felt rather like reading a short story than a novel which was a good thing. His experiment in character dialogue was worthy and appropriate for the setting of the story that was both hopeless and bleak. There's not much to say that doesn't have to be said, I suppose, while faced with the situation at hand in Mr. McCarthys book. As for the two main characters, the boy and his papa, while sympathetic to their condition, I wondered why I was reading only about their struggle and noone elses. Why was there so much focus on them when there wasn't much other than them trying to survive like the others in the book? I was left with the feeling of neutrality by the end of it. I can only blame myself for my reading choices, however hinting around at things and not filling in details as fully as the writer could is becoming a poor literary staple these days. I like to know the details and unfortunately this story leaves me with some unanswered questions that if answered would have made the story more deep and meaningful to me and I might would have come away satisfied. Still The Road was not that bad. A good short read that doesn't require too much effort to finish.

I have nothing but positive things to say about my experience with this seller; product was as described and shipping was very quick. Very satisfied.

The Road is a haunting post apocalyptic story of the survival of a father and son. Eerie, chilling, emotionally moving, brilliantly written. Read it before the movie comes out. You'll never forget it! One of the best books I've read in a long time!

I am glad to have bought from this seller. Although, I wish they would have used a more substantial shipping package and also notify through ebay that the item was shipped. Other than that good seller.

The book was such a great price and shipped so quickly! The seller was true about the condition and I now have a wonderful book!