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I've heard that it's quite good. Film or book?
Book.
Film is good.
Do not watch if depressed.
Book.
All his books are fab. Actually, The Road I didn’t find to be his best, but its still great.
Book.
Brilliant and brutal, in equal measure.
Ps.No Country For Old Men ... film and book. The best.
Blood Meridian or All the Pretty Horses for me, though I need to reread No Country. All amazing though.
Film is good, book is amazing.
The Road...the book is immense. Not sure I can bring myself to watch the film!
Do not watch if depressed.
I waited for ages to be in the "right" mood for it. In the end, I just watched it. Just watch it. It's remarkably bleak, but powerful.
I can't remember if I read the book, probably not therefore. But a friend read it on a long haul flight and cried a lot, including when the hostess offered him a drink.
Have read the book. Will not be watching the film.
An utterly astounding piece of work but once through is enough.
Book.
Film is good.
Do not watch if depressed.
It's his most uplifting book - nowhere else in his writing is there an emotional relationship like the father and son in the Road. He wrote it after becoming a father in his 60s and the whole book revolves around fatherhood.
Definitely the book, it's so intense. Although the film is good it doesn't translate well from print to film
It’s the only film I’ve been unable to finish as it was so grim. I’ve not read the book. The films trajectory was just going one way and I didn’t want to watch it. As above it depends on your mood. It still haunts me.
As above it depends on your mood. It still haunts me.
Read the book but haven't seen the film. Must watch. Book read like a film, really makes you feel like you're there. Scary. Really struggled with "Suttree" though and got bored after about 30%. Must give it another shot.
Film 6/10, book 9/10.
Didn't rate the book that much tbh. I know this isn't a popular opinion to be fair but the tone is all over the place, one second it's Serious Post Apocalypse, the next it's Mad Max. And,
<spoilers>
the way they keep magically finding exactly what they need, at exactly the right moment, drove me crazy, it wrecked my sense of impending doom. The sense of place is fantastic but that doesn't make a good book, it just makes a good place for a book to happen.
I'd say read the Book of the Unnamed Midwife instead.
Oddly, I've described the film as "uplifting" to a friend once! The ending made me focus on how strong love can be and that in the darkest of times you can still find a glimmer of light potentially.
So for me, bleak, yes. Depressing, no.
Not read the book btw.
Seen the movie quite a few times. Watched it again on Sunday night funnily enough: it's grim and a tear jerker still!
Book is better but don't the movie is still very good.
Really struggled with “Suttree” though and got bored after about 30%. Must give it another shot.
Suttree was one of his earlier ones. Having read it after his later stuff you can see he was just getting into his stride
The Border Trilogy is a 100% bona fide masterpiece.
Book read like a film
I read No Country.. after seeing the film and its incredible how accurate the film is to the book.
I’ve described the film as “uplifting” to a friend
That's kinda what I was wanting to say about not waiting for the right mood. It was almost better to watch when depressed / low.
'I thought the book was shit' said the boy.
'Why?' Said the man as they found some food
'It was just a bit predictable' said the boy
'They'll tell you on STW that you don't know what you're talking about' said the man
' I don't give a ****' said the boy
Loved no country for old men (film) but the road was one of the few films that I've turned off on the basis that it was tedious and crap - turned off once he escaped from a gun toting gang running through the woods with his injured son on his back,so perhaps I didn't give it enough time.
‘ I don’t give a ****’ said the boy
'Excellent reviewing skills' the man responded. So the boy went on to recommend something better, rather than just dismissing something... but that's... another story.
I thought the book was great, the film a bloody good adaption. Both well worth the time. Border trilogy is fantastic however, particularly the crossing - one of the best books I've read.
I read it juat after becoming a dad, found it enotionally tough going!
But well worth reading
Blood meridian books probably better tho
As for then finding just what they needed, if they hadn't then they'd just have starved to death in the post apocalyptic wasteland in chapter 1.
I read the book then recommended it to my wife. She called me at work the next day in tears and has never taken up one of my recommendations since.
Depressing?
Jude the Obscure was worse. Grave of the Fireflies was worse.
(not gatekeeping depressing but for the sake of comparison)
Yes it's bleak but it's survival and uplifting in a funny way.
I really enjoyed the road, grim and very bleak at the start but I couldn't put it down.
Anyone interested in a book swap for one of his others?