Chapter 1 Spoiler I was so confused reading this chapter, I checked multiple times to make sure I had the right book
Chapter 3 Spoiler Really enjoying Bobby's story, the other not as much but I know they'll tie together somehow
E-book https://we.tl/t-N56uxD5QG9 Audio https://we.tl/t-KZ6rRxqtjp Audio book got zapped within a day or so last time so get it while it's hot. Also - this one is a mb4 file, not mp3. So you'll need to find a way to play that. For me it's iBooks. Or at least has been in the past. Im fairly sure VLC player will work too on your phone (or laptop)
Waiting on my copy from the library. 2 weeks out so I’ll be behind but will catch up as soon as I can
Im halfway through a 2nd book in a trilogy. Im sure Id rather power through and finish the 3rd book first. But since Im a good Book Club member - I'll read The Passenger next. Probably will start this weekend.
Spoiler: Chapter 1 Nothing makes me feel dumber than when you figure out something early, feel proud of yourself, then they make it obvious half a page later. Good job dumbass - you figured out the people w her weren’t real along w everyone else Don’t have too much else to say. Setting up a good mystery. I’m here for it so far. Spoiler: Chapter 2 I hate the woman’s (I assume it’s Western’s sister) part is in all italics. It hurts my eyes!! Im pleasantly surprised old ass Cormac McCarthy was willing and able to write from such a pro trans perspective. And eloquently so beyond the surface level stuff.
Spoiler: Chapter 3 Some good banter between the fellas. - How do I measure 2”?? - Use your dick. Classic. Back in Chapter 1 i though that one guy was just talking shit about Western being close to his sister. How he’s in love w her ect. Also that she was dead. Maybe she was just sent away to an asylum, and everyone assumed she died or something. In this chapter when Western is talking to the bartender and told her he’s married and always will be … maybe that dude wasn’t talking shit?? Were they romantic? Is she dead? Are her parts flash backs? Would explain the italics I guess. Is Alicia his sister??
Same Spoiler started to come together last few pages of the chapter, no idea what the first part was about
Was in the truck driving for a few hours today and a few hours cutting grass so I was able to finish on Audible… Will write some more tomorrow when I get to the office but … Spoiler Didn’t really like it at all, the draw of the book- the the mystery of the plane was nothing.
Spoiler So this is the blurb on Goodreads - the plane crash -> didn't matter at all to what the story was. I didn't care for the sister's story line at all - As a one chapter I think it would have fit but it seems like a large portion of the book is just her getting off her meds, talking to the kid about non-sense. His father being tied to the Manhattan project really didn't factor into the plot at all either other than the kids are smart, and mentally ill? It was just a string of conversations with random people and they weren't that interesting (other than the JFK assassination). I was glad when Sheddan died so I wouldn't have to read/hear his story anymore, squire.
Spoiler: Chapter 4 &5 4 - Still being vague as to what the sisters actual name is. The kid calls her something different every time. I’m sure it’s significant but not sure why 5 - Is Western also schizophrenic? Is he imagining Shedden? Man the rest of the chapter was a slog. Just feels like drawn out masturbatory prose.
Through Chapter 1 Spoiler Has the feel of a McCarthy novel which is great after all this time. Loved the conversation at the bar and the conversation with the detectives(?). Interested to see where it goes
Through Chapter 2 Spoiler Restaurant scene was great, I could read an entire book of Western conversing with people in restaurants and bars. Not sure why but I thought she may be a trans woman early in their conversation, thought McCarthy’s writing on her was spectacular
Chapter 3 Spoiler I also assume this is his sister. Seems like their dad worked on the atomic bomb and was probably a genius and passed that on to his kids. Seems like we're seeing how the kids are coping with that. I actually enjoy the diving/welding/pumping descriptions. Looks like our man Western is caught up in some deep shit. I assume Oiler's death is connected to the titular passenger.
Finished 4/10 Spoiler I think you have to be a huge McCarthy fan to appreciate this book. I’ve only read this and the Border Trilogy. This felt more like a collection of essays than anything that resembled a novel. The themes are interesting. Sins of the father passed onto his children. How they live/navigate that. Even the plot was cool. Or the set up of the plot that wasn’t really followed through. The rest was just encounters w people to opine on life and death that got repetitive. Oh and quantum physics and a JFK conspiracy. Most of all it felt like a guy at the end of this life that wanted to flex his literary prose one more time while reflecting on life and death. It just didn’t hit for me
It’s just honest, I enjoy an aspect of TMB where it’s not a complete circle jerk of likes and we can move on with the day despite not thinking the “right” way. Also I thought the last book was horrible but very much enjoyed the process of reading it. I still thought the writing was great.
I just meant I generally think Truman has solid taste in books and I'm bummed he seemingly disliked this a lot, since I was excited to read it.
I was worried about poisoning the well w that. I’m not a very experienced McCarthy reader. I’ve only read that and the Border trilogy. I think if you really like McCarthy, you’ll appreciate this book. It just didn’t do anything for me. And it’s fairly short - so even if you don’t like it, it’s not a huge time investment.
I’ve read most of McCarthy’s works and am enjoying it so far a lot more than 4/10 but I haven’t had much time to read this week.
Through chapter 5 - about halfway. I haven't read too much McCarthy even though Blood Meridian is a top 5 book of all time for me. Really need to read the border trilogy, Child of God, and Suttree. Spoiler I'm digging a lot of this but not sure if it's going anywhere. My wife is from Oak Ridge and had lots of family members work at the plants there so those parts are pretty interesting. Some chapters, characters, and dialogue are really great and others just don't do it for me.
Been in and out of this one the last week. No real fault of the book and more due to busy work, but I don’t think I’ll be able to finish by the end of the month. Enjoying it for the most part but just have not had the time to get into it.
Only 2 people have finished this, and 8 voted for this and made me read this wonderful 2/10 book I want some more reviews and discussion
I’m leaving for Europe in 2 hours and not lugging this thing around for 8 days. I will definitely finish up when I get back, work kind of got the best of me leading up to the trip.
It’s a hard book to discuss imo. Just so choppy from scene to scene of Bobby meeting with different people. I’ve enjoyed it and actually like the scenes with Alice, even though I don’t know what’s going on. I also don’t expect to have any resolution on Bobby’s situation by the end of the book tbh
Finished last weekend or so Spoiler similar thoughts to others. Like westerns parts better than the sisters. I was excited at the start, with it mentioning a few places I've been to, with the missing passenger. The conversation on string theory kind of hit me out of no where but I liked it as I'm a bit of a science nerd, but when a similar conversation on jfk came I just skim read to get closer to finishing this book. I found this reddit thread which I may read just to get someone else's thoughts on this book chapter by chapter, but this book just didn't do it for me. Reddit thread:
I’m loving this. On chapter 8, I’ve said it before but I could read a whole book of Western traveling around talking to interesting people (which well is basically what this is). I’ll have a longer write up at the end. Hopefully will finish tomorrow.
Some thoughts while I’m thinking about it though, again, through chapter 7 Spoiler This whole book is dealing with mental health, grief and guilt both inherited and of your own actions. I don’t have to understand exactly what is going on between Alice and The Kid, it’s in her head and based on her schizophrenia and what is going on in her life currently. Bobby was in love with his sister and was affected by her mental health and her suicide and obviously blames himself for that. He also has a lot of inherited guilt from his dad’s work on the atomic bomb. Everything that is happening right now is a snapshot into a life that is ruled by that guilt. He jumps from job to job, from person to person without establishing any roots or emotional bonds because he doesn’t think he deserves them. I don’t think there is supposed to be a cohesive narrative. It’s just a view into a life. Not sure how the passenger will tie in or if it’s just another thing that happened to him that he reacts to and shapes his life. I find all of this interesting and the prose beautiful. I’m admittedly a McCarthy fanboy so there’s that as well.
Finished Spoiler Blackfish pretty much nailed it. I loved the 2nd half even though I had commented about how I didn't think the story was going anywhere about halfway. A lot of the dialogue and characters were interesting; some were not (didn't quite dig the Kennedy/scientists conversations, but loved some of the other random ones). A few lines from Sheddan I noted that basically highlighted Westerns story and Blackfish's message "You would give up your dreams in order to escape your nightmares" And the end of his letter to Western he writes "misery is a choice". Overall I liked it, but I think once I read more McCarthy (only read Blood Meridian and the Road so far), this one will rank toward the bottom of his works, which still says a lot. On to next month and hopefully the Border Trilogy from McCarthy next
That Sheddan quote was one that stuck out to me the most. I finished. Probably an 8/10 for me. I think Cornelius Suttree said it was Suttree x No Country. Spoiler definitely more Suttree than No Country as the main character is moving from place to place, situation to situation interacting with the setting and characters around him. Also the main character is in his current situation by choice not by circumstance. I think if the No Country portion had been fleshed out a little more and we had somewhat of a resolution or at least an update on the plane or “tax” situation it would have felt a little more satisfying, but I understand that isn’t what McCarthy was going for. I think the criticisms from others itt are valid and the novel was marketed one way and that is not what it ended up being, but I loved it. I withhold the right to change my ranking anytime I choose.
Spoiler was Bobby’s stint on the oil tanker in his head? I hope I’m not dumb and missed something. Did that ever get resolved?
9/10 Spoiler loved it tbh. Some characters that will remain with me, most notably Sheddan. His letter was fantastic. Western not as fully fleshed out as other McCarthy main characters, but I believe that’s because the novel shared a space with the sister. Excited to dive into the companion novel
Late again but I enjoyed this more than others Spoiler This felt to me like McCarthy purposefully wrapping up his career. Lot of callbacks to earlier works (the various characters at the bar gave me a Suttree feel and I believe I saw a mention of the "gittin place" like in All the Pretty Horses and No Country). As others mentioned, I loved the conversations with Sheddan. Beautiful dialogue, I could read him for hours. Themes were obvious: grief, the meaning of it all, nature of relationships, etc. Well-trodden ground for McCarthy. You certainly feel for Western. I'd give this probably a 8/10 or so. Not my favorite McCarthy but always a pleasure. You could see that a resolution wasn't coming on the plane and tax stuff and I can see how that turned others off. Will try to fit in the companion work at some point.