Well I finally did it. After a loooong reading drought, I finally finished reading two books over the past couple of weeks. I probably shouldn't boast of this accomplishment; it's probably been over a year since I read a book all the way through...it's like the English major in me shriveled up and died. But thanks to our deadly-dull summer TV season, I recently completed Cormac McCarthy's The Road and Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones.It was really only a coincidence that the two books happened to both be fairly heady and dark. I can't decide which of the books is darker. The Road follows a man and his young son across a desolate, post-apocalyptic countryside fighting off cold and starvation, all the while being persued by savage cannibals. Not light reading. The Lovely Bones, in contrast, displays a lot more color and personality, even some humor. But it's set against the brutal murder (of a young teenage girl) so disturbing that even I had nightmares the first night I read it. Again, not really popcorn literature.
Both of the novels are apparently among the more acclaimed books of our day, and both were #1 bestsellers. The Road even won a Pulitzer Prize. Film versions of both movies are headed to theaters this fall, and I'm mildly curious to see how they'll turn out. I realize I'm a bit out of the loop when it comes to literary accomplishment, and both books clearly offer much to admire. But I can't really see myself recommending either book to anyone, and will certainly not be re-reading them. The Road, while captivating and ultimately touching, is just too bleak and disturbing overall for me to revisit. And The Lovely Bones, which presents some fascinating ideas and even a few memorable characters, just felt a little uneven and unfocused to me to be "the next big thing."
I'm glad that I read them both, but I really wish I had my book club (may it RIP) friends to tell me what I'm missing about these two "modern classics." So tell me, book clubbies, what did you think about The Road and/or The Lovely Bones?
3 comments:
You said it best... they are interesting but very dark. I kept hoping for a surprise ending in The Lovely Bones but I guess when you die... you die. Can't wait to see how it turns out on film though. :) (Did you read the summary in EW? Looked like interesting characters.)
Yeah, I'm sorry to report that I haven't read either of these...nor do I know anyone besides you who has and therefore don't even have any good here say to contribute.
But I've always been partial to bad endings. Maybe I'll give them a go!
I have Lovely Bones sitting on my book shelf. I started it a while ago and then stopped, not for any particular reason. I just wondered if maybe it wasn't the right time in my life to read this book. I didn't really want to up at night with nighmares. Maybe I'll try again later.
The Road--my brother recommended it to me and I checked it out at the library once, but never started it (children seem to suck my time away.) I think I will try it because I'm guessing McCormac will probably go down in history as a brillant writer. But from what I gather his novels are somewhat dark.
Hmmm...interesting. How have you guys been?
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