The Road, by Cormac McCarthy: The Author's Finest Novel

Magnificent is a sure way to describe "The Road," because as brilliant a writer as Cormac McCarthy always has been, this novel is his finest yet. Taking place in a post apocalyptic world that McCarthy brilliantly describes, yet wastes no time explaining, it is a story of love between a father and his son and how that love drives them to survive the unsurvivable. His words are chosen carefully throughout the book, his sentences short and definite, his story is epic.

In the book you will find a philosophical voice that seems to guide our heroes throughout their journey. It has a distinct spiritual tone, a sort of melody that makes you wonder what you really have once stripped of everything but hope. It is a love story like no other; a vision that is as honest as it is dark, portraying a reality that is unlike any other. Each sentence is like taking a step down the road they travel.

His words will sweep you away on a journey that is as much original as it is incredible. The landscape of the story is raw and real and the characters are given the needed grit to give the story integrity. You will cheer the father and his son on as they evade cannibals, eat rotten apples and make fire from dead brush to stay warm in freezing conditions. You will want to weep as they spend their duration in the book starving, yet never losing hope. And you will admire them as they continually keep their heads high, their feet moving and never losing faith that something better is only a little further down the road.

Unlike many modern novels where good guys are daring and unwavering in their bravery or pursuit, we get a stern look at the reality of ordinary people living in extraordinary circumstances. The landscape of McCarthy's literature is graphically neutral, his characters never getting a biased break from their circumstances. He leaves them to fend for themselves in the harsh reality he created. This is art. It has been hailed McCarthy's finest work yet and for good reason. In an age where art is becoming almost mass produced and hardly original, "The Road" is a breath of fresh air. It can be found for cheap as a paperback for as little as six dollars. A wise investment for sure.

If you enjoyed "The Road" you will also love "No Country For Old Men" by Cormac McCarthy.