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A review by cody240fc
The Passenger by Cormac McCarthy
5.0
They say great literature is inexhaustible. I would say that applies to McCarthy. Here, he revisits similar themes from his previous work, but everything still seems so fresh because, well, it's McCarthy and his talent and his prose provoke wonder.
McCarthy appears to be in a particularly reflective mood. Given his age, this is unsurprising. This is a dialogue driven novel, and what plot there is only serves as fodder for the discussions of the characters. That is not to say that 'The Passenger' is boring. Far from it. Characters such as Western, Long John Sheddan, Borman, Royal, and Alicia are quote maestros that force you to slow your reading pace. They are funny, they are sad, and they are memorable. Some of McCarthy's best characters are here.
To avoid the tl;dr pitfall, some brief thematic highlights:
Regret. Every line is a broken line, you can't go back and fix everything. Life is a struggle to avoid regrets. A life isn't lived without grief, but a life can't be fully lived if it is full of regret.
Belief. The need for belief in good. There would be only hopelessness without it.
Forgiveness. Timeline of forgiveness is much shorter than that for revenge.
Faith. God's goodness appears in strange places. Keep an open mind. A Godless life does not prepare for a Godless death.
Fear. Is it something that can be overcome or only dealt with? Fear is always there, waiting for you.
Suffering vs misery. Suffering is part of the human condition. Misery is a mindset one adopts. You can't escape suffering, but you can avoid misery.
And there is much, much more. I have not yet nailed down the significance of the passenger, or who he or she is. Maybe the answer will be found in 'Stella Maris'. Maybe it will become evident with future re-reads.
Any reader who requires a good amount of plot in their fiction will be left disappointed. If you can appreciate thematic discussions, coupled with great characters, dialogue, and wonderful prose, then McCarthy is for you, and you will love 'The Passenger'. A proper rating cannot be given until 'Stella Maris' has been read, so take this with a grain of salt for now. But it is quintessential McCarthy. One of his books that I will be returning to again and again over the years.
McCarthy appears to be in a particularly reflective mood. Given his age, this is unsurprising. This is a dialogue driven novel, and what plot there is only serves as fodder for the discussions of the characters. That is not to say that 'The Passenger' is boring. Far from it. Characters such as Western, Long John Sheddan, Borman, Royal, and Alicia are quote maestros that force you to slow your reading pace. They are funny, they are sad, and they are memorable. Some of McCarthy's best characters are here.
To avoid the tl;dr pitfall, some brief thematic highlights:
Regret. Every line is a broken line, you can't go back and fix everything. Life is a struggle to avoid regrets. A life isn't lived without grief, but a life can't be fully lived if it is full of regret.
Belief. The need for belief in good. There would be only hopelessness without it.
Forgiveness. Timeline of forgiveness is much shorter than that for revenge.
Faith. God's goodness appears in strange places. Keep an open mind. A Godless life does not prepare for a Godless death.
Fear. Is it something that can be overcome or only dealt with? Fear is always there, waiting for you.
Suffering vs misery. Suffering is part of the human condition. Misery is a mindset one adopts. You can't escape suffering, but you can avoid misery.
And there is much, much more. I have not yet nailed down the significance of the passenger, or who he or she is. Maybe the answer will be found in 'Stella Maris'. Maybe it will become evident with future re-reads.
Any reader who requires a good amount of plot in their fiction will be left disappointed. If you can appreciate thematic discussions, coupled with great characters, dialogue, and wonderful prose, then McCarthy is for you, and you will love 'The Passenger'. A proper rating cannot be given until 'Stella Maris' has been read, so take this with a grain of salt for now. But it is quintessential McCarthy. One of his books that I will be returning to again and again over the years.