Crozzled

The Urban Dictionary defines crozzled as: "lightly burnt, usually where just the edges have been burned to a crispy exterior."

I'm fascinated by my new favorite word as it appeared toward the end of 'The Road," the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about a father and son's journey through a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Cormac McCarthy weaves a bleak and fascinating tale of survival and, most of all, love between father and son.

This is not a happy story. Without giving away the end, I was left with an emotional pit in my stomach. At the same time, I was sated at having finished such a well-written novel. McCarthy paints vivid imagery and events that last after the final page is turned. At times I would re-read sections, not because I was confused, but because I enjoyed the journey I had just taken, similar to re-hiking a favorite trail. The author is clearly a fan of the English language and sprinkles SAT-worthy terminology throughout the text at will.

Now that I've read the book, I want to see the movie by the same name that was released a few years ago. I don't remember it receiving very good reviews, but it would be nice to see how the director translates McCarthy's word-smithing into visual storytelling.