This book definitely deserved its Pulitzer Prize. McCarthy''s grim tale of a
father and son struggling to survive after a
nuclear disaster is told in mostly in sparse dialogue and stripped-down settings. However, it is one of the most vivid books I''ve read in a long while.
As the book opens, the
father and son are pushing a dilapidated grocery cart which holds all their possessions and most importantly, their dwindling supply of food. The bond between the two is tangible as they set out for the coast, braving marauders and the harsh conditions of a world burned to ash. I have never been so glad to see the blue sky as I was after finishing this book.
McCarthy is known for his tendency to write realistic (some would say excessive) violence. However, in the balance of this book, the graphically violent
scenes are justified. There are very few good people left when this story opens. On the other side of the coin, the scenes of familial tenderness are all the more touching for showing up in this grim dance of death.
This book deserves to be read again and again. I have no doubt it will become a modern-day classic.