Tuesday, May 5

the road

I've just finished reading The Road. I didn't dare mention it while I was still reading it. Some people can't help spoiling a film or a book. "I've just got to tell you about this one bit, it won't spoil it for you ... you know the bit where he discovers that she's really his sister? No? Well now you might as well know, the butler did it."

People like that need a few sessions with Doctor Robert.

But what a great book! For the first half, I was freaking out with the tension. What would happen when they met someone? Then towards the end, I was dreading that things would just carry on like that, with them just disappearing into the sunset (sunless).

The occasionally-archaic language didn't work for me. I had to look up words like windrow. And the number of times he said "in the floor" meaning "on the floor".

But what a fantastic story, and the man was a brilliant father. Makes me think of my own father.

Now that I've finished reading the books on my list, at last there's time for some other enjoyment. Today I found time to make an apple cake from a recipe I had months ago badgered a student to give me. Tomorrow I'll be able to tell her I baked it.

And I might even have time for another trouser post, before the next book, a Kate Atkinson, arrives.

5 comments:

  1. Albert? I just finished it last night. Interested that you enjoyed it so much. How about root canal work? Do you enjoy that too? Anyway, that boy doesn't know anything about writing proper novels! What happened to the chapters? The last book of his I read had only three chapters. But no chapters at all? Dearie me! I'm surprised he got it published. It didn't look like a novel or anything like it to me. I think he must have wrote it when he was on the waccy baccy. Hope this helps. Hotboy

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  2. If wacky baccy helps, you'd have a Pulitzer by now.

    I was nearly at the end by the time I noticed there were no chapters.

    Are you saying you really didn't enjoy it? Everyone's different, some more than others.

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  3. Albert? Loved it! I'm a total fan! Hotboy

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  4. Glad you enjoyed that one too. PTSD-inducing and life-affirming at once- an incredibly powerful read.

    There could've been any number of endings to that story- to me it was the first three-quarters that established it. Big Wan recommended it, which must be why one has children.

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  5. ion - I noticed that too - as I neared the end, the possible alternative endings coming up.

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