The Road is a quick but gripping read which arrested my thoughts whenever I held its pages in front of my eyes. Cormac McCarthy is a writer with a unique talent; the ability to torment and toy with the reader’s feelings as though they themselves were a part of his dark dystopian tale, and it’s not surprising that The Times claim the novel “will knock the breath from your lungs”.

Set in a post-apocalyptic America, The Road sees two travellers, known only as the Man and the Boy, on a harrowing journey through the dead wastelands of the States after a mysterious catastrophe obliterates society as we know it. Immediately we’re transported from our comfortable homes, snuggled in bed or on the sofa reading this book, into the world of these two martyrs – a world filled with fear, anguish and death.

The writing style of McCarthy is strange, with little punctuation and unceremonious dialogue. This compliments the feeling of tenseness throughout the story, with snappy, erratic scenes making the couple’s adventure seem scarily realistic. However at times, the descriptions of the Man and the Boy’s actions and their routine whilst on The Road can seem a bit tiresome, with many instances of taking cover from a storm or lighting a fire… again. But I think this generally adds to the desperate tones of the book, by really conveying the tedium of their lives, and how constant fear and vigilance can play on a person’s mind.

The novel isn’t a happy one, certainly. There are a few moments that are undeniably grotesque, but again these just supplement even further the gothic and horror themes of McCarthy’s story. You can expect to be gripping the book with a nervous hand often, at such times as when the Man discovers what dreadful secrets lay under the cellar door of a long abandoned and spookily re-inhabited mansion in this tragic but hostile wilderness.

[The Road is now a major Hollywood movie starring Viggo Mortensen]

But The Road doesn’t shine simply when it comes to raising the hairs on the back of your neck. Another powerful theme is that of the relationship between the father and son. You can’t help but feel attached to the two, and be swayed by the unfortunate events which damage their tender bond as they encounter danger on their journey south. McCarthy has a knack for evoking sympathy, too, with a couple of survivors of this enigmatic world forcing the Man to question his morals and the Boy to doubt the ways of the cruel world he’s been brought up in. It’s essentially a story about humanity, and the exploration of how far humans can be stretched before they break.

The Road is a good piece of modern fiction; winner of the prestigious Pulitzer Prize because it’s accessible without being too simple. The book has many subtleties which can be interpreted in several ways, but it’s a guaranteed thought-provoker. A couple of days’ interesting read, but definitely no Marian Keyes chick-flick.

by Joe Carey