I enjoy really horrific books. I started reading Stephen King when I was about 15 and I read his Under the Dome when I was 17. If you have read that book, you know some of the scenes he described in that book is, well, unsavory.
But nothing really prepared me for Cormac McCarthy's Child of God...
I read his The Road and Sunset Limited a while ago, and I watched both movie adaptations. Both of which were challenging in their own ways.
When I searched some of the reviews for Child of God before I read the book, people said in one coherent voice:
Naively, I thought how can a book be so bad that people almost unanimously mentioned the same thing?
As soon as I started reading this book, I felt a strange sort of grime cling to my body, I felt "dirty" reading it, almost like I just emerged from a dust storm. I felt disgusted, and strange, weird, and to be honest I am not sure how I felt...
If you have ever watched the equally degenerate film by Lars von Trier The House That Jack Built, you will like this book. As I read McCarthy's book, I could not get the images of Lars von Trier's film out of my head. There were so many similar scenes, not in an exact copy and paste fashion, but both main characters did similar things to their victims. Or, actually not, but I could not get the movie out of my head while reading the book.
To be honest, I am not sure how to write this review. There is not much to say about this book beyond the fact that it takes us on the sick adventures of a serial killer figure who terrorises the citizens of a town to such a point that one needs to wonder what McCarthy tried to do with this book. At least, that is what I was thinking.
As soon as I read the first scene in the book that got me wondering if I had the stomach to finish it, I turned to the front to see when the book was published. I was shocked to see how old the book actually was. Today, people squirm for anything, the smallest mention of something bad, and here McCarthy published a book that makes people feel unanimously "dirty", in need of a shower afterwards? I read American Psycho by Ellis a couple of years ago, and I felt strange reading some of the scenes, but most of the book was good and achieved what he set out to do. But again, this book constantly makes you feel disgusted and you question what went through the author's mind to have written such things.
I am not even going to attempt to give a summation of the acts described in the book because I am not comfortable writing such things.
And this book review really just regressed into my thoughts about how strange and disgusting the book is. So, in some sense, this is by no means a book review but loose feelings about my discomfort reading this book.
I am not going to recommend you to read this work. It is strange, odd, and with metaphorical book burnings going on in the world, I am not sure how this is not at the top of "degenerate" writings. McCarthy is a legend, and I have enjoyed so much of his work, but I am not sure I enjoyed this work.
And in some sense, we might argue that this is what he attempted to do. But I will counter this argument and ask, "Why is it necessary to have something like this on our shelves?"
Either way, happy reading and keep well!
All of the musings and writings are my own. The photographs are also my own, taken with my Nikon D300.
Cormac McCarthy's books are often not for the faint of heart.
Not at all!
This is such an honest review! honestly I can understand what you mean about needing a shower after reading certain books. Thanks for sharing such a reflective review. 🌷
Thank you so much!
Very interesting post!
A review just as much as a big warning to fellow readers. Personally, I don't know if I'd take this book on after all that you've said.
I did see "The house that Jack built" and a couple of other movies from the same provocative director. Definetely unusual and not for the faint of heart!
Definitely not. Especially if you do not have the stomach for it.
Oh boy! From your review, it seems like the book took you on a horrific ride. A book that makes you crave a shower after, is something I haven’t experienced and I don’t think I ever want to experience. Either way, aside the serial killer’s escapades, seems like the book was written properly?
It was indeed! Maybe give it a read if you have the stomach for it.
Happy to have this one on my shelf, I own & have read all his work. Don't try Outer Dark either then, a lot of his early writing is like that. I think he liked exploring twisted people
So sorry for only replying now. I had some deadlines that really pushed my limits of what I could do in a day. But I am back.
Now I really want to read Outer Dark. I have a lot of his books, and I really like his gritty writing. I also like his plays, or the one play, Sunset Limited. Great writer to read even though at times I wonder if he was okay! But nonetheless. Thanks again for the recommendation of Outer Dark.
What was your time frame like from completing the book to penning the review? I have found that If I write the review immediately after finishing the last page, it is a bit different from what I think of the book a few days, or a week later.
For me, A Canticle for Liebowitz was one that I wrote the review "immediately". Then, after I published the review here, I found the book's "lessons" and themes growing on me - I still didn't like the constant bombardment of religious iconography and focus of the story, but subtracting that away, and it was still a journey through humanity.
I wonder if that is what this book was attempting to be - a journey through humanity, though, by the sounds of things, that journey may have been a knife through the literal flesh of humanities, which goes well with the notion of book burning.
I'm left with naught more than a shrug.
I took a while. And as you said, the book kind of fermented and lingered in my mind, so it got worse at some stages, but more manageable at the same time.
Yes, that is exactly what it is. The more it lingers, the more you get from it. And I am going out on a limb here, but that is what distinguishes good books from bad books for me. If it lingers on after the read, it is a fantastic book.
I am not sure, but I guess this was it. And it really achieved it. I think I have read 3 or so of his other books, and each one of them is definitely a journey through humanity, quite literal at times!
ooh, I haven't read this one. I found Blood MEridian super hard going and couldnt' finish it, loved All the Pretty Horses series, and The Road of course. Love his writing.
Sorry for only replying now! Had a month or so that I just needed to get stuff done but it left me physically and emotionally drained to such a degree I could not get up in the mornings. Either way, I am back.
Thank you so much for the other recommendations, I think I have all the ones you mentioned sitting on my shelves, wanting to be read! The Road is just beautiful.