In the second installment of The Border trilogy, Cormac McCarthy weaves a beautiful and dark "follow up" with The Crossing. Fueled with adventure and spirituality, we embark on McCarthy's newest journey.
Billy Parham is a sixteen-year-old son-of-a-rancher in New Mexico when he captures a she-wolf in a trap. Bound by mystical obligation and desire, he makes an effort to return the wolf to Mexico. Billy and the wolf traverse over the terrain towards Mexico, encountering many stark and harsh conditions along the way.
I could dive deeper into the synopsis of the novel, but I think in doing so, I would overshadow the main thrust and theme of the novel. I found this novel incredibly intriguing, as it shows an intense but visceral relationship between animal and man. Parham's unique bond with the wolf is palpable through the pages, and it's not necessarily what you would view as a common relationship between human and dog, but instead it is strained, fueled by both anger and love.
The Crossing is a brilliant adventure, yet simultaneously explores the human condition, existentialism, and the meaning of life, with musings on philosophy and nature. Told with McCarthy's seemingly trademark prose, which includes vivid descriptions and colorful use of our lexicon, he paints a picture more elegant than a burnt orange sunrise that lights up the sky like a wildfire.
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Barrington Books
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