No Country for Old Men
By Cormac McCarthy
Book Reporter: Complaint Department
Recently made into a film by the Coen Brothers, McCarthy's 2005 novel is complex and easy to misunderstand. It reads, at least for the first half, like a taut crime thriller following a good ole boy named Moss who stumbles across the remains of a drug deal gone very bad. He discovers a satchel filled with over $2M in cash and soon finds himself being hunted by a series of Mexican drug runners as well as two paid bounty hunters, one of whom may or may not be "the ultimate bad-ass". As Moss's bravado and machismo prove to be less and less effective against each person hunting him, he soon starts running out of viable options that will keep him alive.
The book takes a sudden turn about halfway though and becomes much more philosophical switching nearly all of it's gears in tone and texture. The aging sheriff investigating the whole affair takes a more prominent role as he reflects back on the poor choices he has made and the role this final case has taken in the final years of his life.
Bottom Line: Many have commented that the book offers little in the way of resolution, but that's only if you are looking at the surface. The book's heart actually has very little to do with the interplay between Moss and the guys hunting him and much more to do with the choices we make in life. At it's core, like nearly all of McCarthy's work, lies a cynical statement on defeat. It's a great book, but certainly not "beach reading" or a fun way to spend the afternoon while on vacation.
Recommendation: STRONG READ
By Cormac McCarthy
Book Reporter: Complaint Department
Recently made into a film by the Coen Brothers, McCarthy's 2005 novel is complex and easy to misunderstand. It reads, at least for the first half, like a taut crime thriller following a good ole boy named Moss who stumbles across the remains of a drug deal gone very bad. He discovers a satchel filled with over $2M in cash and soon finds himself being hunted by a series of Mexican drug runners as well as two paid bounty hunters, one of whom may or may not be "the ultimate bad-ass". As Moss's bravado and machismo prove to be less and less effective against each person hunting him, he soon starts running out of viable options that will keep him alive.
The book takes a sudden turn about halfway though and becomes much more philosophical switching nearly all of it's gears in tone and texture. The aging sheriff investigating the whole affair takes a more prominent role as he reflects back on the poor choices he has made and the role this final case has taken in the final years of his life.
Bottom Line: Many have commented that the book offers little in the way of resolution, but that's only if you are looking at the surface. The book's heart actually has very little to do with the interplay between Moss and the guys hunting him and much more to do with the choices we make in life. At it's core, like nearly all of McCarthy's work, lies a cynical statement on defeat. It's a great book, but certainly not "beach reading" or a fun way to spend the afternoon while on vacation.
Recommendation: STRONG READ
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