THE ROAD by Cormac McCarthy

         Are you looking for an outstanding book?  I just read The Road by Cormac McCarthy, and “outstanding” would definitely describe this book.  If you like survival books and stories about getting through hard times, I strongly suggest you try this novel.

          This book is the story of a young boy and his dad having to journey across a post-apocalyptic country.  They are in search of a warmer place because they will not be able to survive winter with what little possessions they have.  The only transportation they have is their feet, the only food they have is some canned goods they push in a cart, and the only protection they have against danger is a gun with only one bullet.  They face danger on the road they travel almost every day.  In spite of these hopeless conditions, the man and his son persevere for the sake of each other’s survival.  This summary can’t even describe the emotions and the intense battle for survival told in this story, so you will have to read the book to get the full story.

            In my opinion, one of the most outstanding qualities of this book is the narrative voice.  The narrator frequently uses simile to explain things that happen in the book.  An example of this is:

“And the dreams so rich in color.  How else would death call you?  Waking in the cold dawn it all turned to as instantly.  Like certain ancient frescoes entombed for centuries now exposed

 to the day.”

This passage is referring to a dream one of the characters had and compares it to a fading ancient painting.  This is just one of the many great examples of figurative language the narrator uses in The Road.

            This book also has great descriptions of the setting.  The way the author uses imagery is almost breath-taking.  This paragraph is just one of many interesting examples in the book that demonstrates the way the author describes the setting:

“The blackness he woke to on those nights was sightless and impenetrable.  A blackness to hurt your ears with listening.  Often he had to get up.  He rose and stood tottering in the cold autistic dark…He took great marching steps into the nothingness, counting them on his return.”

As you read The Road you will encounter many more descriptive paragraphs similar to this.

            Reading this book really made me think. It is a very emotional story and you would have to be heartless for this book not to touch your feelings in some way.  The emotions, the intense battle for survival, and the loving bond between a father and his son make this book phenomenal.  If I were going to rate this book on a scale of 1-10, I would give it a 10 for sure.  I couldn’t find one thing I didn’t like about this book while I was reading it.  If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind book, you need to check out The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

Reviewed by Ryan Bowman

8th Grade

**NFMH** On the Road is now a movie. Keep in mind the rating, and always have parent permission if you are under age before renting such a film :)