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abernathy_33's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
carmenx9's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
ange2003's review against another edition
5.0
Incredible writing. The novel as a whole is brilliant, and the beauty of the sentences unmatched.
kxsak's review against another edition
5.0
I could say a lot but I think anything I could muster up with my small brain would be reductive. I'm not sure I really grasped everything McCarthy meant for readers to grasp. I'm okay with that. Every time I finish a McCarthy book all I want to do is reread it. I'm shocked this is almost a 400 page long book and I read it at the pace of a novella. That's the only way I could explain what Cormac McCarthy's writing does for me.
kwmathias's review against another edition
3.0
This was a real slog to get through, but I think it’s going to be something that I love thinking and talking about in the years to come.
ozymondays's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
lukeknight's review against another edition
4.0
I have finally finished this book after literal months of trying. Cormac McCarthy's The Passenger is an absolutely brilliant novel. I'm a big fan of Cormac McCarthy, I like his writing style (although it certainly is not for everyone) and he is really good at telling a compelling, challenging story. This novel, however, was incredibly difficult to read. McCarthy seems to have employed every single tactic he could to make The Passenger unbelievably challenging to read. For example, there are absolutely no quotations marks, and dialogue is often formatted in bizarre ways. Additionally, McCarthy is a master of writing winding, complex sentences and these can often run for multiple lines. Another example is the content of the novel, which is often deeply philosophical or complex, like the multi-page conversation about nuclear physics. These things make the novel difficult to read, yes, but they also enhance it in deeply impressive ways. Every stylistic choice feels deeply deliberate and contributes to the resonance of the symbols and themes of the novel. As previously mentioned, The Passenger is a very philosophical novel. There is a surprisingly intricate plot, but it really only serves as a background for the exploration into the novel's themes. There is deep examinations of guilt, mortality, and purpose within The Passenger, and the best parts of the novel are those where characters engage in conversation about these things. These conversations, while often difficult to follow, are rife with interesting and engaging ideas and are so enjoyable to read. Also, there is a surprisingly delicate and positive portrayal of a trans woman, who is one of the most compelling characters in the novel, and it was genuinely cool to see positive trans representation. McCarthy has crafted a true work of artful literary fiction in The Passenger, and I highly recommend it, despite the intense effort that reading it demands.
Merged review:
I have finally finished this book after literal months of trying. Cormac McCarthy's The Passenger is an absolutely brilliant novel. I'm a big fan of Cormac McCarthy, I like his writing style (although it certainly is not for everyone) and he is really good at telling a compelling, challenging story. This novel, however, was incredibly difficult to read. McCarthy seems to have employed every single tactic he could to make The Passenger unbelievably challenging to read. For example, there are absolutely no quotations marks, and dialogue is often formatted in bizarre ways. Additionally, McCarthy is a master of writing winding, complex sentences and these can often run for multiple lines. Another example is the content of the novel, which is often deeply philosophical or complex, like the multi-page conversation about nuclear physics. These things make the novel difficult to read, yes, but they also enhance it in deeply impressive ways. Every stylistic choice feels deeply deliberate and contributes to the resonance of the symbols and themes of the novel. As previously mentioned, The Passenger is a very philosophical novel. There is a surprisingly intricate plot, but it really only serves as a background for the exploration into the novel's themes. There is deep examinations of guilt, mortality, and purpose within The Passenger, and the best parts of the novel are those where characters engage in conversation about these things. These conversations, while often difficult to follow, are rife with interesting and engaging ideas and are so enjoyable to read. Also, there is a surprisingly delicate and positive portrayal of a trans woman, who is one of the most compelling characters in the novel, and it was genuinely cool to see positive trans representation. McCarthy has crafted a true work of artful literary fiction in The Passenger, and I highly recommend it, despite the intense effort that reading it demands.
Merged review:
I have finally finished this book after literal months of trying. Cormac McCarthy's The Passenger is an absolutely brilliant novel. I'm a big fan of Cormac McCarthy, I like his writing style (although it certainly is not for everyone) and he is really good at telling a compelling, challenging story. This novel, however, was incredibly difficult to read. McCarthy seems to have employed every single tactic he could to make The Passenger unbelievably challenging to read. For example, there are absolutely no quotations marks, and dialogue is often formatted in bizarre ways. Additionally, McCarthy is a master of writing winding, complex sentences and these can often run for multiple lines. Another example is the content of the novel, which is often deeply philosophical or complex, like the multi-page conversation about nuclear physics. These things make the novel difficult to read, yes, but they also enhance it in deeply impressive ways. Every stylistic choice feels deeply deliberate and contributes to the resonance of the symbols and themes of the novel. As previously mentioned, The Passenger is a very philosophical novel. There is a surprisingly intricate plot, but it really only serves as a background for the exploration into the novel's themes. There is deep examinations of guilt, mortality, and purpose within The Passenger, and the best parts of the novel are those where characters engage in conversation about these things. These conversations, while often difficult to follow, are rife with interesting and engaging ideas and are so enjoyable to read. Also, there is a surprisingly delicate and positive portrayal of a trans woman, who is one of the most compelling characters in the novel, and it was genuinely cool to see positive trans representation. McCarthy has crafted a true work of artful literary fiction in The Passenger, and I highly recommend it, despite the intense effort that reading it demands.
Merged review:
I have finally finished this book after literal months of trying. Cormac McCarthy's The Passenger is an absolutely brilliant novel. I'm a big fan of Cormac McCarthy, I like his writing style (although it certainly is not for everyone) and he is really good at telling a compelling, challenging story. This novel, however, was incredibly difficult to read. McCarthy seems to have employed every single tactic he could to make The Passenger unbelievably challenging to read. For example, there are absolutely no quotations marks, and dialogue is often formatted in bizarre ways. Additionally, McCarthy is a master of writing winding, complex sentences and these can often run for multiple lines. Another example is the content of the novel, which is often deeply philosophical or complex, like the multi-page conversation about nuclear physics. These things make the novel difficult to read, yes, but they also enhance it in deeply impressive ways. Every stylistic choice feels deeply deliberate and contributes to the resonance of the symbols and themes of the novel. As previously mentioned, The Passenger is a very philosophical novel. There is a surprisingly intricate plot, but it really only serves as a background for the exploration into the novel's themes. There is deep examinations of guilt, mortality, and purpose within The Passenger, and the best parts of the novel are those where characters engage in conversation about these things. These conversations, while often difficult to follow, are rife with interesting and engaging ideas and are so enjoyable to read. Also, there is a surprisingly delicate and positive portrayal of a trans woman, who is one of the most compelling characters in the novel, and it was genuinely cool to see positive trans representation. McCarthy has crafted a true work of artful literary fiction in The Passenger, and I highly recommend it, despite the intense effort that reading it demands.
Merged review:
I have finally finished this book after literal months of trying. Cormac McCarthy's The Passenger is an absolutely brilliant novel. I'm a big fan of Cormac McCarthy, I like his writing style (although it certainly is not for everyone) and he is really good at telling a compelling, challenging story. This novel, however, was incredibly difficult to read. McCarthy seems to have employed every single tactic he could to make The Passenger unbelievably challenging to read. For example, there are absolutely no quotations marks, and dialogue is often formatted in bizarre ways. Additionally, McCarthy is a master of writing winding, complex sentences and these can often run for multiple lines. Another example is the content of the novel, which is often deeply philosophical or complex, like the multi-page conversation about nuclear physics. These things make the novel difficult to read, yes, but they also enhance it in deeply impressive ways. Every stylistic choice feels deeply deliberate and contributes to the resonance of the symbols and themes of the novel. As previously mentioned, The Passenger is a very philosophical novel. There is a surprisingly intricate plot, but it really only serves as a background for the exploration into the novel's themes. There is deep examinations of guilt, mortality, and purpose within The Passenger, and the best parts of the novel are those where characters engage in conversation about these things. These conversations, while often difficult to follow, are rife with interesting and engaging ideas and are so enjoyable to read. Also, there is a surprisingly delicate and positive portrayal of a trans woman, who is one of the most compelling characters in the novel, and it was genuinely cool to see positive trans representation. McCarthy has crafted a true work of artful literary fiction in The Passenger, and I highly recommend it, despite the intense effort that reading it demands.
Merged review:
I have finally finished this book after literal months of trying. Cormac McCarthy's The Passenger is an absolutely brilliant novel. I'm a big fan of Cormac McCarthy, I like his writing style (although it certainly is not for everyone) and he is really good at telling a compelling, challenging story. This novel, however, was incredibly difficult to read. McCarthy seems to have employed every single tactic he could to make The Passenger unbelievably challenging to read. For example, there are absolutely no quotations marks, and dialogue is often formatted in bizarre ways. Additionally, McCarthy is a master of writing winding, complex sentences and these can often run for multiple lines. Another example is the content of the novel, which is often deeply philosophical or complex, like the multi-page conversation about nuclear physics. These things make the novel difficult to read, yes, but they also enhance it in deeply impressive ways. Every stylistic choice feels deeply deliberate and contributes to the resonance of the symbols and themes of the novel. As previously mentioned, The Passenger is a very philosophical novel. There is a surprisingly intricate plot, but it really only serves as a background for the exploration into the novel's themes. There is deep examinations of guilt, mortality, and purpose within The Passenger, and the best parts of the novel are those where characters engage in conversation about these things. These conversations, while often difficult to follow, are rife with interesting and engaging ideas and are so enjoyable to read. Also, there is a surprisingly delicate and positive portrayal of a trans woman, who is one of the most compelling characters in the novel, and it was genuinely cool to see positive trans representation. McCarthy has crafted a true work of artful literary fiction in The Passenger, and I highly recommend it, despite the intense effort that reading it demands.
Merged review:
I have finally finished this book after literal months of trying. Cormac McCarthy's The Passenger is an absolutely brilliant novel. I'm a big fan of Cormac McCarthy, I like his writing style (although it certainly is not for everyone) and he is really good at telling a compelling, challenging story. This novel, however, was incredibly difficult to read. McCarthy seems to have employed every single tactic he could to make The Passenger unbelievably challenging to read. For example, there are absolutely no quotations marks, and dialogue is often formatted in bizarre ways. Additionally, McCarthy is a master of writing winding, complex sentences and these can often run for multiple lines. Another example is the content of the novel, which is often deeply philosophical or complex, like the multi-page conversation about nuclear physics. These things make the novel difficult to read, yes, but they also enhance it in deeply impressive ways. Every stylistic choice feels deeply deliberate and contributes to the resonance of the symbols and themes of the novel. As previously mentioned, The Passenger is a very philosophical novel. There is a surprisingly intricate plot, but it really only serves as a background for the exploration into the novel's themes. There is deep examinations of guilt, mortality, and purpose within The Passenger, and the best parts of the novel are those where characters engage in conversation about these things. These conversations, while often difficult to follow, are rife with interesting and engaging ideas and are so enjoyable to read. Also, there is a surprisingly delicate and positive portrayal of a trans woman, who is one of the most compelling characters in the novel, and it was genuinely cool to see positive trans representation. McCarthy has crafted a true work of artful literary fiction in The Passenger, and I highly recommend it, despite the intense effort that reading it demands.
Merged review:
I have finally finished this book after literal months of trying. Cormac McCarthy's The Passenger is an absolutely brilliant novel. I'm a big fan of Cormac McCarthy, I like his writing style (although it certainly is not for everyone) and he is really good at telling a compelling, challenging story. This novel, however, was incredibly difficult to read. McCarthy seems to have employed every single tactic he could to make The Passenger unbelievably challenging to read. For example, there are absolutely no quotations marks, and dialogue is often formatted in bizarre ways. Additionally, McCarthy is a master of writing winding, complex sentences and these can often run for multiple lines. Another example is the content of the novel, which is often deeply philosophical or complex, like the multi-page conversation about nuclear physics. These things make the novel difficult to read, yes, but they also enhance it in deeply impressive ways. Every stylistic choice feels deeply deliberate and contributes to the resonance of the symbols and themes of the novel. As previously mentioned, The Passenger is a very philosophical novel. There is a surprisingly intricate plot, but it really only serves as a background for the exploration into the novel's themes. There is deep examinations of guilt, mortality, and purpose within The Passenger, and the best parts of the novel are those where characters engage in conversation about these things. These conversations, while often difficult to follow, are rife with interesting and engaging ideas and are so enjoyable to read. Also, there is a surprisingly delicate and positive portrayal of a trans woman, who is one of the most compelling characters in the novel, and it was genuinely cool to see positive trans representation. McCarthy has crafted a true work of artful literary fiction in The Passenger, and I highly recommend it, despite the intense effort that reading it demands.
Merged review:
I have finally finished this book after literal months of trying. Cormac McCarthy's The Passenger is an absolutely brilliant novel. I'm a big fan of Cormac McCarthy, I like his writing style (although it certainly is not for everyone) and he is really good at telling a compelling, challenging story. This novel, however, was incredibly difficult to read. McCarthy seems to have employed every single tactic he could to make The Passenger unbelievably challenging to read. For example, there are absolutely no quotations marks, and dialogue is often formatted in bizarre ways. Additionally, McCarthy is a master of writing winding, complex sentences and these can often run for multiple lines. Another example is the content of the novel, which is often deeply philosophical or complex, like the multi-page conversation about nuclear physics. These things make the novel difficult to read, yes, but they also enhance it in deeply impressive ways. Every stylistic choice feels deeply deliberate and contributes to the resonance of the symbols and themes of the novel. As previously mentioned, The Passenger is a very philosophical novel. There is a surprisingly intricate plot, but it really only serves as a background for the exploration into the novel's themes. There is deep examinations of guilt, mortality, and purpose within The Passenger, and the best parts of the novel are those where characters engage in conversation about these things. These conversations, while often difficult to follow, are rife with interesting and engaging ideas and are so enjoyable to read. Also, there is a surprisingly delicate and positive portrayal of a trans woman, who is one of the most compelling characters in the novel, and it was genuinely cool to see positive trans representation. McCarthy has crafted a true work of artful literary fiction in The Passenger, and I highly recommend it, despite the intense effort that reading it demands.
ethanong's review against another edition
5.0
Easily one of my favorite McCarthy novels. Plot itself is secondary to MCarthy waxing about his thoughts regarding philosophy, science, and life
jme985's review against another edition
5.0
Through this book I’ve learned that I am a big fan of conversational writing. I watched a YouTube review that talked about The Passenger as a novel comprised of essays, which I find to be very accurate.
This book, in my opinion, was significantly less story driven and acted moreso as a philosophical dump for McCarthy. If you like listening to someone’s worldly outlook through the lens of troubled characters, this will certainly be a good read for you. I particularly enjoyed his conversations about death.
The fact that it wasn’t especially story driven doesn’t mean there isn’t a story or any kind of continuity. I found what story there was to be incredibly captivating as the undercurrent that kept motivation alive for Bobby. I enjoyed the Romeo and Juliet parallels.
This book, in my opinion, was significantly less story driven and acted moreso as a philosophical dump for McCarthy. If you like listening to someone’s worldly outlook through the lens of troubled characters, this will certainly be a good read for you. I particularly enjoyed his conversations about death.
The fact that it wasn’t especially story driven doesn’t mean there isn’t a story or any kind of continuity. I found what story there was to be incredibly captivating as the undercurrent that kept motivation alive for Bobby. I enjoyed the Romeo and Juliet parallels.