Scan barcode
sherlock151's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
campbelle's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
jhobble10's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
No Country for Old Men was my first Cormac McCarthy book, and it did not disappoint. Really solid book. It doesn’t waste any time gripping you right from the start. Anton Chigurh stands out as one of my all-time favorite villains—his cold, methodical nature makes him deeply unsettling, and the way he carries out his twisted sense of fate is incredibly entertaining. The unpredictable twists keep you on edge as Chigurh’s presence looms over the story. The pace slows toward the end with Sheriff Bell’s reflections on the modern world, offering philosophical depth but feeling somewhat disconnected from the action. Despite that, McCarthy’s sharp, minimalist writing and talent for building tension make this a captivating read. It’s a dark exploration of violence, fate, and morality that leaves a lasting impression, even if the ending feels a bit more reflective and subdued than the rest of the novel.
vincederr's review against another edition
3.0
The story centers around a satchel of drug money found in the desert. Llewelyn Moss while hunting finds a drug deal gone wrong and satchel of over two million dollars. Enter Anton Chigurgh, a ruthless, cold, coin flipping, killer. The chase is one and Moss attempts to protect his wife and life while Chigurgh hunts him through Texas. In the backdrop old Sheriff Bell contemplates the old times and the changing world. This book is quick and good, but not perfect. McCarthy has no problem with showing us gun fights until the end. The climatic scene of the story what the book has been hurtling towards the whole time happens off page. Why!?!? We fade to black and then find out a main character has been killed, who does that? It was an extremely frustrating decision and quite frankly a bad one. We only need an additional ten to twenty pages to fit the scene in. It’s a good book, but in my opinion far from a masterpiece. It was entertaining and the prose was simple and to the point. At times I wish McCarthy would give us more environmental details. The movie was good but again not a masterpiece.
honeybeewitched87's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
zaxtreme's review against another edition
4.0
I read it shortly after seeing the movie. I remember enjoying it thoroughly!
maddiezuschlag's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5
This was interesting! I feel like it was 95% dialogue, but it worked really well. And after looking it up, I learned that this was originally written as a screenplay, which is why the movie follows this book practically verbatim. It just works. But I will say that if I had not seen the movie, just reading the book as a standalone would have been a tiny bit hard to follow.
(Also, Anton Chigurh is genuinely one of the most terrifying characters ever. Movie or book. The cattle gun just freaks me out, more than regular guns lol)
This was interesting! I feel like it was 95% dialogue, but it worked really well. And after looking it up, I learned that this was originally written as a screenplay, which is why the movie follows this book practically verbatim. It just works. But I will say that if I had not seen the movie, just reading the book as a standalone would have been a tiny bit hard to follow.
(Also, Anton Chigurh is genuinely one of the most terrifying characters ever. Movie or book. The cattle gun just freaks me out, more than regular guns lol)