The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Hello Beautiful People! Welcome back to another review! We spice it up a bit this time and review a fiction book, but a more science fiction, post-apocalyptic book. The Road by Cormac McCarthy follows a father and his son as they try to survive in a barren wasteland.

My Review

I won’t be doing a summary and commentary section for this book but that’s because it’s such a quick, but interesting read that I think anyone could check it out. While it is slow-paced, it fits the vibe of the book well so you don’t exactly notice it as much as you may in other books. I wouldn’t exactly say this is a book that one would enjoy. Don’t get me wrong it’s a good book, but it’s a dark, and heartbreaking one. It doesn’t have much of a peak, but at the same time that’s pretty reminiscent of the real world, things aren’t always exciting they can sometimes just suck.

Cormac McCarthy’s The Road is a riveting and ever-evolving book that, intriguingly, reveals very little about its characters—an intentional narrative choice that adds to the haunting ambiance of the post-apocalyptic world he crafts. I gave the book an 8.5/10 rating. The protagonists remain nameless, identified simply as “man” or “papa” for the father and “boy” or “son” for the child. McCarthy’s purpose in this lack of specificity becomes evident as we delve into the bleak reality he presents, a world where names seem inconsequential, perhaps even futile, in the face of a grim and uncertain future. The absence of names becomes a twisted symbol of the characters’ seemingly futile existence, emphasizing the harsh truth that in a world stripped bare of hope, the significance of personal identity diminishes. Why cling to a name when the prospects for a meaningful future appear so bleak? This absence becomes a stark commentary on the fragility of hope and the sheer struggle for survival in a desolate landscape.

On the flip, amidst this stark portrayal, McCarthy weaves a profound theme of familial connection and unconditional love. The father and son navigate a desolate road, their only purpose seemingly to find sustenance, water, and the slim possibility of encountering fellow survivors not bent on their destruction for their own benefit. The father, a robust and resilient figure, shows another side when it’s clear he embodies an overwhelming love for his son, a love that propels him through desolation. Every step he takes is a testament to his desperate quest to ensure the boy’s survival in a world devoid of traditional markers of civilization. In the cold and desolate setting, the warmth of their connection stands out vividly. The son, in turn, mirrors his father’s commitment but with a softer, more empathetic touch. The father shields him from the harsh realities, attempting to preserve a semblance of innocence amid the brutal landscape. The boy’s empathy becomes a powerful contrast, highlighting the emotional complexity of their relationship and infusing the narrative with a deeply affecting human element. It was also a kind narrative as well that showed that despite all the boy had been through and seen he could still keep some kind of normal world aspects in which he cares for his fellow beings. In McCarthy’s masterful storytelling, the nameless characters and their journey become a canvas onto which he paints themes of despair, resilience, and the enduring power of familial love. The Road not only challenges our notions of identity and hope but also invites readers to ponder the strength that can be found in the simplest yet profound connections forged in the bleakest of circumstances.

We don’t ever get an exact idea of what it was that caused the end of the world but McCarthy often talks about ash falling from the sky and covering everything. I kind of guessed like one of those big volcano eruptions or I saw someone else say meteor strike, but the way the ash was falling it felt like a volcano to me. It’s clear that the ash has caused things to die, and nothing to grow. Further, I am sure breathing it in didn’t do anyone anything good. Clean water, and food it hard to come by. Earlier I spoke about how the father was shielding his son from a lot and that was true. It’s interesting because as we get into the book we start to see that it’s not that the father and son are rare for being alive, it’s rare for them having stayed alive the way they have, not conforming to this new world lifestyle. We quickly see that is this desolate land covered in ash, meaning no food, and how would the people alive then survive? Well, good question they would just go about eating one another. The father often has to keep him and his son safe from these horrifying groups and it turns out that their way of being ‘normal’ isn’t all that normal in this world anymore. Despite their starvation and sickness, the father refuses to introduce himself and his son to that world. It was hard not to feel bad for these characters, hope for the best for them in tough situations, and cheer with them when things went well.

The father and son walk the road because they have no choice, but it’s clear the road is filled with dangerous people, places, and things. The father doesn’t have much to protect them with, and more just has an out plan for them if they get caught. The father puts them in this situation for his son. The thing that confused me, if I can be totally honest was why the father wanted him and his son to live. Look this is going to sound terrible but if the world went to shit I am heading out. The reason you may ask is because people scare the hell out of me and I don’t want to be a part of the mess. I just found it interesting that despite how clearly terrible the world was he kept almost searching for something. It’s clear that he wants to find a safe place for his son to be but based on how this world is now I am not really sure that’s a thing.  

Earlier on I said the book was a bit slow, and I stick by that. I mean most of the book is just reading the father and son looking for food, finding dead bodies along the way, and dodging the live ones. There is something really poetic though about the way McCarthy paints these parts, which makes the world seem so much different than it probably is. In a way I imagined that this was the way that the father tried to look at the world so he could keep going, he didn’t want to let too much of the darkness in. I think this book was a really interesting way to present the human condition, and how no matter the circumstances some of us can’t give up who we really are to survive. It’s a book that is thought-provoking, I mean I shared what I would do if we ended up in this kind of world, but have you thought about what you would do? I mean given I had a child with me maybe my thought process would be different. It’s unfair that this boy didn’t really ever get to experience real life or be a real child, but the father does the best he can to give him any bit of that he can, but there are points where he can’t and it’s hard to see the boy learn the harsh realities of the world. At one point his father has to teach him that they don’t have enough to give handouts, no matter how much they want to. He has to see that they barely have enough to survive, and can’t help one another. For a lot of people even in our own time, that’s a reality. Unless you are a part of the 1% we don’t have a lot to give no matter how much we want to. Even more now these days people have to know what it’s like to go without, to suffer to the elements, to be left to whatever hides on the streets. If anything it’s not that far from what the books talking about.

I hope you enjoyed this review and I would love to hear what you thought of The Road if you’ve checked it out or if you’ve checked out any of Cormac McCarthy’s other books what you thought of those! Feel free to check out my socials @baddiebookreviews to be kept up to date for when I release a new review.