I have to admit that it took me a few readings of some of the passages to fully grasp the meaning due to the fierce poetry of Cormac McCarthy's writing. I think that tactic lent itself well to this piece though. The Road is meant to be savored; its images meant to sear and brand your mind. Indeed, there are a few I don't think I will EVER forget. 
 For those long-time readers of apocalyptic literature, there is nothing new here, but that is so far beyond the point as to become laughable. In fact, Cormac McCarthy insists on the reader drawing from their previous experience in the genre to fill in the specifics on the cataclysmic event that serves as the inciting incident for the story. It's a bold choice that pays off remarkably well as it plays on the reader's own unique fears of the end of the world, which I don't have to tell you can be much more terrifying than what the likes of big blockbuster Hollywood can come up with. 
 It looks like a short read, but take your time with it. There's a lot more to the words than you think. Let a passage marinate for a bit before moving on, and I promise you, it will be worth it.