Orlion reviewed Stella Maris by Cormac McCarthy
One of McCarthy's best
5 stars
This book reads differently from The Passenger, structurally, but is also in conversation with its sister (or should I say brother) novel. The interactions between the two novels is both illuminating on the meaning of both and adding new confusions that wouldn't exist if either novel were read on its own.
But Cormac McCarthy has always baked a certain vagueness into his work, so this should come as no surprise. After all, that's a feature of Cormac McCarthy...particularly with a couple of novels that has the unreality and unknowable nature of reality as one of their themes.
Stella Maris is written as a conversation between Alicia Western and her therapist that is recorded over a series of sessions. To some, this will be similar to the Sunset Limited and for good reason, as one of the central conflicts is very similar. And just as doomed. Where it differs is in …
This book reads differently from The Passenger, structurally, but is also in conversation with its sister (or should I say brother) novel. The interactions between the two novels is both illuminating on the meaning of both and adding new confusions that wouldn't exist if either novel were read on its own.
But Cormac McCarthy has always baked a certain vagueness into his work, so this should come as no surprise. After all, that's a feature of Cormac McCarthy...particularly with a couple of novels that has the unreality and unknowable nature of reality as one of their themes.
Stella Maris is written as a conversation between Alicia Western and her therapist that is recorded over a series of sessions. To some, this will be similar to the Sunset Limited and for good reason, as one of the central conflicts is very similar. And just as doomed. Where it differs is in how heavy the conversation gets, and not just in the expected bleak way. There are extensive contemplations on mathematics, metaphysics, linguistics, the development of the atom bomb... basically, there's a lot to chew on despite it lacking the length and heavy prose of The Passenger.
Though it can certainly be read on its own, I do think there's a certain satisfaction to reading it after or with The Passenger. It certainly makes me want to read both again!
In conclusion, Cormac McCarthy knocked it out of the park with this one. Along with The Passenger, it's a worthy addition to his body of work.