Minus the necrophilia and the killing ofc. The isolation, never ever fitting in anywhere, whole world moves in one direction and you move in the other no matter how hard you try to change that direction, etc. I never felt closer to the character, even those Russian protagonists from 19 century books feel like a scam and a parody next to Lester.

What character feels like this to you anon?

XD

>>24567213 (OP)
Are you pretty when you crossdress?

>>24568021
I never did it but I bet I'd look kinda hot

Really good book, the part where he leads the cops through the cave is great. McCarthy’s editor rejected a scene where Lester cuts his balls off. Should’ve been kept in, tbdesu. I can only assume that it would’ve made him even more relatable to OP.

>Naked from the waist saving his shoes and socks he knelt astraddle the limb and laid his testicles on the soft wood and with one swift slice of the knife severed them from his body.
They slid from the limb and fell into the leaves at this feet. They peeked from the shriveled sac like eyeballs, veined, hanging by tubes. He looked at himself, a cleanlipped little cuntlet welling with blood. His penis lay in the wound. Had his hand done it? Been told? He was still holding the pocketknife. Oh god, he said. Oh god almighty.

>>24568105
>I can only assume that it would’ve made him even more relatable to OP.
Fuck off kek

>>24568105
>McCarthy’s editor rejected a scene where Lester cuts his balls off.
Interesting. I wonder how many things like that were cut across all of his books.
>Should’ve been kept in, tbdesu. I can only assume that it would’ve made him even more relatable to OP.
Kek

The content of this novel maybe southern gothic but the writing is anything but. Really beautiful and slightly romantic in tone. He was still coming into his own and sure it isn't as "Cormac Mccarthy" as the Border trilogy is, but it's still a very unique tone and style which i wish was copied more by posterity and those who are influenced by him.
>In the spring or warmer weather when the snow thaws in the woods the tracks of winter reappear on slender pedestals and the snow reveals in palimpsest old buried wanderings, struggles, scenes of death. Tales of winter brought to light again like time turned back upon itself. Ballard went through the woods kicking down his old trails where they veered over the hill toward his onetime homeplace. Old comings and goings. The tracks of a fox raised out of the snow intaglio like little mushrooms and berrystains where birds shat crimson mutes upon the snow like blood. When he reached the overlook he stood his rifle against the stones and watched the house below him. There was no smoke coming from the chimney. Ballard watched with his arms folded. He asked Greer where he was today. A gray and colder day with all the melting snow ceased from its dripping and runneling. Ballard watched the first flakes fall like ash into the valley.
>Two minute doilies of snow settled and perished on the crossed arms of his coat. He watched until the silent house grew dim below him in the gray snowfall. After a while he took up the rifle once again and crossed the ridge to where he could see the road. There was nobody going up or down. Already the snow was falling so that you could not see up the valley at all. A spray of small birds came out of the snowfall and passed like windblown leaves into the silence again. Ballard crouched on his heels with the rifle between his knees. He told the snow to fall faster and it did.

>>24569118
It's also very funny in places. Here’s Lester buying some stylish attire for his new girlfriend:—


The sales girl unleaned herself from the counter. She and Ballard were about the same height. She said: What size did you need?

Ballard looked at her. Size, he said.

Did you know her size?

He rubbed his jaw. He’d never seen the girl standing up. He looked at the salesgirl. I don’t know what size she takes, he said.

Well how big is she?

I don’t believe she's as big as you.

Do you know how much she weighs?

She’ll weigh a hunnerd pounds or better.

The girl looked at him sort of funny. She must be just small, she said.

She ain’t real big.

They’re over here, said the girl, leading the way.

>>24569185
>It's also very funny in places
My favorite was the scene when he tried to put a ton of food on his already large tab at the grocer. The old man told him something like: "Lester Ballard, have you only managed to accrue five dollars in all your years of existence?" "At this rate I'll be dead before you pay me off."
And Ballard's dumbfounded response after the blacksmith asked him if he understood his indepth smithing instructions

>>24567213 (OP)
I think this book is really underrated. The way it ends with Lester being dissected in really graphic detail I thought was a stroke of genius. Contrasting his violence with what is supposed to be somehow morally acceptable and for the greater good. I think it's one of McCarthy's better novels honestly