the road by cormac mc carthy

`the road', a novel by cormac mc carthy is searing, horrifying and hypnotic. i did not expect a postapocalyptic novel when brian suggested we read this one for our bookclub.

i am not sure if this is an aftermath of some nuclear holocaust or some great fire or even an asteroid/ufo impact. whatever the cause, it had destroyed civilization and most of life on earth. what probably remained of humanity were some cannibals (the bad guys) and their prey, the good guys who are basically the people who scavenge for canned food and other surviving foodstuffs (like tramps). it is about civilisation's slow death after the end of the world.

unlike most authors who create a description for their story, mc carthy creates a story out of his description. it is almost like he uses his enormous gift of language over nothingness.

i was taken aback with the lonely and burnt landscape, the extreme cold of the snow, the lack of security in a lawless life, and the meagre availability of food for survival.

the journey is taken by a father and his son, a journey of love and tenderness, survival and endurance, lessons in a friendless world, shattering dilemmas, unspoken feelings, the cold of the weather on the blanketless beings yet the warmth of humanity and finally hopeless death.

some parts of the book are very difficult to understand. i went back a few lines to re-read and see if i had missed out on anything. even though it is gripping and haunting, it is also bleak and dreary. one cannot relate to something like that and imagining it would mean creating further confusion.

his sentences are incomplete. but he sends the message across. they are almost like some powerful prose that are lost on the unchallenging mind. how he envisioned such a nightmare and destruction is horrifying in itself. is this how it is going to be finally?

his book is of very high literature, with difficult vocabulary and cautious details besides being unexciting as it only describes the journey. definitely not a first book to pick up for a non reader. it is depressing, discouraging, and a complete disaster of our physical, emotional and spiritual being. in simple words, it is scary.

the writing throughout is of course magnificent and powerful, with a dynamic description of violence, despair and destruction, and fearless wisdom, desperate care and assurance. it also amazingly describes trenchant and shattering situations, with yet the feelings of warmth and gentleness which never fail to emerge despite the hopeless quest.

an excellent base for a non commercial film. :-) i was just informed that john hillcoat was said to direct the film based on this novel sometime this year. lets wait and see.