I reread The Road 20 years on. It was even more devastating
Tim Winton's Juice gave Alison Flood the appetite for more post-apocalyptic science fiction. Returning to Cormac McCarthy's scorched landscape was tough – but worth it
Earlier this year, I embarked on revisiting Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" after reading Tim Winton's "Juice" for the New Scientist Book Club. The vivid depiction of a post-apocalyptic world, a scorched Australia, had left a lasting impression. Twenty years after my initial read, I found the novel even more devastating, the father's tender love for his son and the son's struggle in a nightmare world all the more poignant.
I have since moved on to McCarthy's "Blood Meridian," a brutal tale set in 19th-century US and Mexico. Hillcoat, the director of the film adaptation of "The Road," is set to bring "Blood Meridian" to the screen. Given the masters' reputation, I have high hopes for the upcoming film, should I be able to endure its stark portrayal of humanity.
Written by urgent.news from New Scientist's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
