Welcome to Litsy!

In preparation for the upcoming release of The Passenger, I‘m tryna knock out the last few McCarthy books I haven‘t read. Went back to his debut with The Orchard Keeper and was rather underwhelmed. It was a pretty forgettable Faulkner clone with some ridiculously overwrought passages and very thin characters and a seeming lack of any message or point. A far cry from Blood Meridian. 😒 For my full thoughts, see here:

https://youtu.be/xEGRKBgcqrw

Both cryptic and poetic, I am baffled and amazed at how thoroughly steeped in the landscape I became, while not certain I got it all. McCarthy tells a story where all the bits might fit together, but he‘s not too concerned how much is made of it, because his writing is sure that a story is there.

This was not the right book for my current state of mind. While I generally love McCarthy‘s trademark vagueness in style and content, this was too much even for me. In fact, I barely knew what was going on at most points in the story, let alone which character the focus was on. (And yet, as always, I enjoyed McCarthy‘s evocative descriptions and odd similes.)

Not my favorite of McCarthy‘s work by any stretch, but as his first novel and the beginning of his Appalachian Trilogy (the other two being Outer Dark and Child of God), it‘s a good read and, as always, vintage McCarthy.

My plans for "feet up Friday" as my son has coined it.... Feet up, starting a new book, and having a 9% alcohol content Fishers Island Lemonade (best thing ever! ?). The rest of the weekend is super busy (what else is new) so taking advantage of reading time tonight!

His & hers reading lunches. 😍📚

I haven't posted in a bit. Here's what I'm currently reading. It's his first novel. Anyone read it, and if so, how did you like it?