The Orchard Keeper

Although Cormac is my favorite writer, this I had to admit was the weakest of all his books. I didn't find it had enough cohesion between all the characters and story.

While hard to follow its narrative structure, it is no doubt indicative of a writer who has mastered dialects in his dialogue as well poetic descriptions of times and places that make one stand in awe of his fluid use of prose.

I liked the where I thought the plot was headed, then it zigged one too many times at the end and I never did figure it out; just left with a feeling of incompleteness. Nevertheless, great writing, great characters, and a short read.

Awe-some. Read this with a big dictionary by your side.

Good book, but it is not even in my top 5 Cormac McCarthy books. It was the first book he wrote, but the last book of his that I read.

Road was my first Cormac - haven't found another to live up to it yet. This was okay - his writing is beautiful - just felt disjointed and hard to read.

Cormac McCarthy starts his writing career with this first novel, and sets the stage for many years of dragging the human psyche into a world of degradation, bizarre characters, and of course, brilliant writing. In this first novel, Mccarthy tells the story of the mountain people of Tennessee, including a bootlegger, an old man who lives in a rundown house in the mountains, and a 14 year old boy....more

Cormac McCarthy starts his writing career with this first novel, and sets the stage for many years of dragging the human psyche into a world of degradation, bizarre characters, and of course, brilliant writing. In this first novel, Mccarthy tells the story of the mountain people of Tennessee, including a bootlegger, an old man who lives in a rundown house in the mountains, and a 14 year old boy. In a bizarre scene in the beginning of the book, the bootlegger picks up a hitchhiker, kills him and throws the body into a pond, which the old man secretly guards for years, not knowing that the man was the boy's father. No one understands this situation, not even the boy, who holds the bootlegger in high esteem. It's a twisted tale of human relationships, and of course, nature, as the mountain forests of Tennessee comes alive. Strangely written, as most Mccarthy novels are, yet always alluring.   hide

great

I need the Cliff's notes to figure out what the heck happened at the end. And what was the deal with the cat? And the sections in italics?