43 pages 1 hour read

Cormac McCarthy

Stella Maris

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2022

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Before You Read

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

In Stella Maris, a companion to his novel The Passenger, Cormac McCarthy tells the story of Alicia, a highly intelligent doctoral candidate in mathematics who admits herself to a psychiatric hospital where she engages in deep discussions with her psychotherapist about life, visions she experiences, and the nature of existence. The book contains themes involving mental illness, death by suicide, suicidal ideation, and incestuous relationships.

Reviews & Readership

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Stella Maris by Cormac McCarthy receives mixed reviews. Admirers praise McCarthy's unique prose, philosophical depth, and character introspection. However, critics find the narrative challenging and the dialogue dense. Some appreciate the intellectual stimulation, while others struggle with its abstract nature. Overall, it's a polarizing read, captivating for some but inaccessible for others.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Stella Maris?

Readers who would enjoy Stella Maris by Cormac McCarthy are intellectually curious individuals interested in philosophical and existential themes. They likely appreciate intricate narratives found in works like Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon and Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace, where deep, often challenging, introspection is key.

Recommended

Reading Age

18+years

Book Details

Genre

Historical Fiction

Psychological Fiction

Mystery / Crime Fiction

Topics

Mental Illness

Philosophy

Psychology

Themes

Relationships: Family

Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Values/Ideas: Music