Simple but sweet! Starting off, I’ll say that I wasn’t sure what to expect by reading this book and I came close to putting it down after a mere 30 pages for lack of interest. Oddly, the book begins in a kind of monotone dull voice with not a lot of anything happening, which doesn’t necessarily scream for attention. Just basic repetition of a few well described scenes. It was only after those first 30 pages that I realized the underlying beauty of this book. It is simple. It is basic. It’s an apocalyptic tale of a father and son making their way south down the melting asphalt always wary of any other survivors also caught in the primal instinct of survival. It’s a story set in a world stripped of all glory and resilience. One thing I found particularly interesting was the complete lack of any specific details pertaining to the utter ruin of civilization. We don’t even learn the names of the characters. There are vague references of the event throughout, which was done solely with dreams, but we never really learn what happened. Instead, the story focuses on humanity and the bond between father and son. We also have the age-old lesson of right vs wrong, good vs evil. But all in all, it really comes down to asking yourself, “what would you do in that situation?” “What measures would you take to ensure your survival?” One question I kept thinking… “Why survive in a world deplete of all industry, all cultivation, all social economies… hoping to stumble across a rusted can of beans as your only source of food?” This story will definitely call to question not only the meaning of life, but also the value of it. It’s a simple read, it’s a quick read, it’s a good read. I recommend it.
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