REVIEW: The Crossing - Cormac McCarthy

• Year first released: 1994
• ISBN of the version I read: 978-0-679-76084-9
• Publisher of the version I read: Vintage International
• My rating (out of 5): 5

It’s taken me quite awhile now to figure out exactly what I want to say about The Crossing. (I first read it two or three weeks ago.)

On the one hand, the easy thing to say would be that it’s easily my favorite book that I’ve read so far this year. It’s nothing less than sublime in its form. McCarthy has a way with words (and with punctuation, you’ll notice when you pick up one of his books) that is truly unique and awe-inspiring.

This is all well and fine. This is basically what I would say to you if you had asked me for my quick thoughts. It’s a bit too vague, though—and, therefore, rather unbecoming—for what the book really deserves.

It’s important to note, first of all, that The Crossing is an indirect sequel to McCarthy’s 1992 novel All the Pretty Horses. Though the book shares quite a bit of atmosphere—and certainly many of the same themes—there are no character or plot connections that require you to read Pretty Horses first.

If you’ve read Pretty Horses, you’ll have a decent start to understanding McCarthy’s style. What you won’t yet know is that The Crossing surpasses Pretty Horses in every possible way.

The Crossing is certainly a much drearier novel than Pretty Horses. Our hero this time around, Billy Parham, has big ideas, but they don’t stretch too far into the future, and there’s really no indication each step of the way that any of them will work out as he imagines them. Perhaps ironically, this hedonistic bleakness establishes Billy as an incredibly vivid, detailed character who is constantly at odds with the world around him, but in all the right ways. Even when Billy missteps—which he does regularly all throughout—I was left almost wanting him to have made the choices he’s made anyway. His failures are just as intricate and worthwhile as his successes.

There is another particular element worth discussing that struck me as rather unique and worthwhile, if a bit counterintuitive:

Often throughout the book, Billy encounters people who impart various—and sometimes contradictory—philosophies. An example that I’m particularly fond of:

At one point not too far into the book, Billy meets a disillusioned priest. Here is a snippet of the philosophy the priest shares…

What was here to be found was not a thing. Things separate from their stories have no meaning. They are only shapes. Of a certain size and color. A certain weight. When their meaning has become lost to us they no longer have even a name. The story on the other hand can never be lost from its place in the world for it is that place. And that is what was to be found here. The corrido. The tale. And like all corridos it ultimately told one story only, for there is only one to tell.

These shared philosophies aren’t what is so counterintuitive, of course. Many authors employ this manner of dialogue. Rather, what is unique is Billy’s response to such conversations. Perhaps I should say: Billy’s lack of response to them.

After his conversation with the priest ends, Billy goes on his way. And, remarkably—in a move by McCarthy that I would call downright brave—we are never granted a vision into Billy’s mind to see his reaction to this exposition. Does Billy agree with it? Does he accept it? Does he replay it in his head from time to time? We don’t know.

It turns out that we don’t need to know. The ideas have been imparted; the words are already in the air; take them as you will; it is time to move on.

After all, it ultimately told one story only, for there is only one to tell.

And, in the case of The Crossing, that one story is a veritable scripture of American fiction.

(One small disclaimer if you’re going to read The Crossing: Since the majority of the book takes place in Mexico, McCarthy relates most of the dialogue in untranslated Spanish. And why bother translating? Personally, it warmed my heart to read it all. You may want to have a simple Spanish dictionary handy, though, if your Spanish isn’t so hot.)