Thank you, Taegan. That's an incredibly kind comment, and honestly quite motivating.
The fact that 10+ year-old feelings resurfaced for you suggests that I must have tapped into something true about the book. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy as well.
I think this may be my favorite of his novels now that I've read it. It delivers more for the reader to hang on to while still carrying many of the McCarthy tics that make his books so distinct.
Also, I don't know that I was exactly mature when I was 16 but John Grady did remind me of myself in very particular ways. I wasn't a badass or anything like that, but there was already a weariness in me, or some emotional remove, perhaps. A suppression of feeling and emotion that allowed me to carry on with life in a way that was relatively normal, at least by outward appearances. That he, too, was bursting with passion and emotion and this was only ever revealed to Alejandra also felt very much like my own life, now twenty years gone.
It’s been 10 years or more since I read this novel, but your write up brought a lot of my feelings for the story back to the surface.
Very curious how you end up seeing the trilogy as a whole. Great write up. These McCarthy reviews are some of my favourite writing on the platform.
Thank you, Taegan. That's an incredibly kind comment, and honestly quite motivating.
The fact that 10+ year-old feelings resurfaced for you suggests that I must have tapped into something true about the book. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy as well.
Excellent write up.
I think this may be my favorite of his novels now that I've read it. It delivers more for the reader to hang on to while still carrying many of the McCarthy tics that make his books so distinct.
Also, I don't know that I was exactly mature when I was 16 but John Grady did remind me of myself in very particular ways. I wasn't a badass or anything like that, but there was already a weariness in me, or some emotional remove, perhaps. A suppression of feeling and emotion that allowed me to carry on with life in a way that was relatively normal, at least by outward appearances. That he, too, was bursting with passion and emotion and this was only ever revealed to Alejandra also felt very much like my own life, now twenty years gone.
Thank you!
It's my favourite too, for exactly the reason you stated. It feels like McCarthy being more generous to his readership.
I suppose it shouldn't surprise me that you feel a certain kinship with John Grady. He feels things in a big way, like you do.