No Country for Old Men

Putting aside the violence, this book deeply explores morality and ethics in an almost sublime way. But the author does have a unique writing style that at times seemed very challenging in ways that made it more difficult to stay connected to the underlying story.

Once you read the first page of Chigurh strangling the man with hand cuffs, you can’t stop reading. I came into the book already seeing the movie, and it’s my absolute second favorite out of every movie I’ve seen, and the novel is so much better. Sure, it’s at times violent and brutal, but it’s a novel about the drug trade issue. And even though I’m only 20% in, the way the gas station scene plays out isn’t as suspenseful as it is in the movie, but it’s also very chilling in the book. My first McCarthy novel, and it won’t be my last. If you loved the movie, you’re going to love the novel.

Incredible read. Was glued to the pages while reading an enthralling thriller and learning from themes of religion, regret, chance and fate, and a changing world.

I read a lot of books and this one was pretty boring. I couldn’t wait for it to be over. I rarely stop reading a book before I finish it just in case it redeems itself in the end. This one did not. Seems to be quite popular though so maybe it’s me. 🤷��♀�

See something new each time i read it

Good mix of dialogue, violence, and wisdom. I really enjoyed this book.

Skip the movie and read the book. Excellent storytelling by a gifted writer.

Don't get it

McCarthy tells the story of several lives that interact because Moss, a Vietnam Vet, while out hunting comes upon a drug deal gone bad and takes a case of money. He ends up pursued by drug dealers, the law and a philosophical killer named Chigurh. The story moves quickly and the bodies pile up. Woven throughout are the thoughts of Bell, the Sheriff who investigates the whole thing and tries to help Moss. Bell reflects on his life and how the world has changed as he finds himself always two steps behind and unable to do what he sees as his job. The prose is tight, moves quickly, and the dialog helps build the characters. (I listened to the audio version and the narration was well done, just adjusting enough for each character to be distinct.) Chigurh is creepy and yet intense in his own philosophical outlook on life and death. Moss is sympathetic and Bell holds it all together. McCarthy doesn't write happy endings, but it is a good story that questions the ideas of honor, and luck, and how personal codes can drive individuals to extremes that end up lead to a sense of inevitability . McCarthy intersperses Bell's first person thoughts with the third person narration of the remainder of the book. Even the narrative distance moves in and out depending on who the focus is - Chigurh most distant, while Moss and Bell are in tight, giving a sense of connection that adds to the strange, frightening sense of doom that Chigurh brings. Overall, I enjoyed the book and having seen the movie years ago, will say that the film managed to bring a difficult story to the screen.

This book sucked me in and grabbed me until it was over. I found myself hoping for more when I reached the end. McCarthy has a way with words that simultaneously complex and irresistibly simple. While it is not quite the haunting tale that it Blood Meridian, it is still a fantastic read.