The Crossing: Cormac McCarthy's Most Underrated Novel

Just me, showing a little love to a book that direly needs and deserves more, and explaining why you should do the same.

[@ChadTheAlcoholic]

I just listened to Ross book for the first time. So far it’s my favorite McCarthy. The section with the priest is some of the finest writing I’ve ever experienced

[@j.b.866]

This was an amazing book. It does heavy melancholy, as you said, that lingers throughout the whole book. That the world is impartial and regardless and the sun will rise and set. SPOILER WARNING: I took it that the Indian he met at the begin had a part in his family's death. Maybe I'm wrong, but there was a mention that it was done by indians or gypsies and Boyd also said that the killers knew his name, which was said in front of the Indian several times. What is your take on that?

[@TH3F4LC0Nx]

Yeah the Indian dude definitely killed Billy's family. Which adds to the regret, because if he hadn't made the decision in the beginning that he did his family probably wouldn't have died. Dour opening, and it only gets dourer from there.

[@Psyanigh]

Boyd is such an interesting character and had stuck with me. He honestly seemed more capable than Billy, and he straight up got memorialized in folklore after that one-armed man croaked. And just like Billy, we are left to wonder what happened between him running away with that girl and his death. If leaves a lot to the imagination since we only know as much as Billy does. Btw: I wish Billy met Rawlins

[@Psyanigh]

Also something about Billy is that his biggest feature is also his worst flaw; once he decides something it HAS to happen that way. Oh, wolf, better take it to the mountains... Precisely the mountains. Have to. Oh, welp, want muh horses. Two? Naw, fam. I haz to have all of em. Better drag my brother into it too. Oh, imma get my bro's bones. Have to. It's a must. Plan out the details? Naw, it'll be fine. Enlisting? Yep. Gonna keep trying.

[@ChadTheAlcoholic]

There’s a particular type of hope being given in this book.

[@TH3F4LC0Nx]

Indeed. ;)

[@kodyarocho4618]

I went into this with a negative opinions from others less than stellar review of the book. I turned the last page last night and found it to be a great story

[@TH3F4LC0Nx]

I would definitely say it's a great story! :)

[@kodyarocho4618]

@@TH3F4LC0Nx I agree with your assessment. I am pivoting to another book to digest this for a little bit cannot wait to return to it sometime next year. I'm new to mccarthy. All the pretty horses was the first book I read by McCarthy, The Crossing being the second. They're very dense books and take time to ruminate and digest. I've become a quick fan

[@MilesWilliams88]

Absolutely brilliant book. Easily one of my favorites. I think Blood Meridian is probably his best book, but for me personally The Crossing might be my favorite. Blood Meridian, All The Pretty Horses, and The Crossing are my top three. I haven't read anything I've not liked by McCarthy. Child of God is my least favorite, but even that book is better than most other books I've read. Just average for McCarthy. I'm so damn pumped about The Passenger and Stella Maris coming out in a few months. Good review. Cheers🤙

[@TH3F4LC0Nx]

Aww hell yeah, The Passenger has me stoked! :D And yeah, for me The Crossing is the best of the Border Trilogy books, but I think Blood Meridian is def his best. Don't really care for Child of God either, and The Orchard Keeper was pretty lackluster I thought. But still better than most other books, lol. XD

[@MilesWilliams88]

@@TH3F4LC0Nx I haven't read The Orchard Keeper yet, but I did like his second novel Outer Dark. Not his best by any means, but it's a pretty solid book.

[@TH3F4LC0Nx]

@@MilesWilliams88 Outer Dark and Suttree are the only 2 of his books I've yet to read. Outer Dark sounds pretty interesting, so I'm hoping I end up liking it. I also have a review on the Orchard Keeper; it mainly felt like a by-the-numbers Faulkner clone with really thin characters. Not terrible, but definitely his debut.

[@MilesWilliams88]

@@TH3F4LC0Nx Yeah, I read about 10 pages of The Orchard Keeper and gave up. I agree it felt a bit too much like Faulkner. Outer Dark does also, but the novel is good enough to stand on its own merits regardless. I'm looking forward to reading Suttree one of these days. I see a lot of people hype that one up.

[@shotske2531]

Love the discussion. Agree: an underrated book for him. It is overwritten a bit in places but the philosophical bread crumbs McCarthy leaves keep the pages turning nonetheless, in spite of some questionable plot decisions made by characters. I think the book's popularity is hurt because the story is not neat, tidy, and simple (like All the Pretty Horses). As such, it rewards thoughtful reading; if it's simply plowed through, I can see where the reader response would be "meh." But that's a failure of the reader, not the author.

[@TH3F4LC0Nx]

Yeah, I think he did get a tad purply with the prose with this book, but like you say, the philosophizing really keeps you intrigued throughout. :)

[@fergal2424]

i really want to listen, wish you'd had a decent mic and bullet pointed things a little to stop the constant stop start repeating of yourself. It's just too frustrating for me ahah

[@TH3F4LC0Nx]

Understandable! XD

[@ChadTheAlcoholic]

22:20 but this is how people are. People aren’t s as rational a they claim or suspect.