So apocalyptic as to resemble The Road, despite its historical grounding. 
 At first I was sort of unable to write reactions to this book but distance and reflection seem to be resolving this into a sort of nihilistic masterpiece. And the language has an alien richness that combines the spare, precise observation of later McCarthy with a horrific, gothic voluptuousness. I am bumping this up a star and want to re-read certain passages immediately.