This book was a book group choice and our discussion of this book took twice as long as usual because the book has so much packed into it.

This is a wonderfully written book based on true events in the 1840s when a group of vigilante Americans road into Mexico to rid the country of the indians. The characters of Glanton, Chamberlain, and the Judge are real persons, but McCarthy took license with some of the events and, at least in the case of the Judge, their personalities.

It is written in the same style as writers of that era, with chapter headings similar to the ones which would be found at the heading of newspaper articles of the time. This book is also consistently and overwhelmingly violent. The events were horrendous and McCarthy does not spare the reader in any way. However, don't let that dissuade you from reading it. This book has many wonderful layers and the descriptions are incredible. The events take place in the U.S. and Mexico and the characters travel back and forth across the border (not to be confused with the current border since in 1840 the border was quite different). I used an atlas frequently to see where the characters were because I'm not very familiar with Mexico and I wanted to know where they traveled. Travel in those days was very arduous. Events also take place in Arizona and California. I have pictures of California from about that time and McCarthy's descriptions are perfect.

If you like McCarthy's work, read this book. It's his best.