In the following review, Birkerts notes similarities between The Crossing and All the Pretty Horses, and comments on the differences between these two works and previous novels.

In the following review, Hass praises The Crossing as an "American original." This in-depth discussion of the novel focuses on description and craftsmanship, and Hass briefly examines McCarthy's play, The Stonemason, with respect to craft.

In the following review, Carr focuses on the deeper meanings within the bleak and desolate settings and occurrences in The Crossing. Acknowledging that there is purpose to the bloodshed and evil in McCarthy's novels, Carr comments on the themes of loss and the human condition in the works.

In the following review, Dirda comments on the broad scope of The Crossing, lauding the craftsmanship of McCarthy's writing but faulting the "heavy-handed" and "grandiloquent" aspects of the work.

In the following favorable review, Allen praises the descriptive prose in The Crossing, and the "vividly rendered conflict" of The Stonemason. Comparing McCarthy to Melville and Faulkner, the critic lauds these two works, while acknowledging their frequent melodramatic passages.

In the following review, Eder discusses The Crossing, lauding the descriptive passages but faulting both the portrayal of Mexico and the use of the Spanish language in the novel.

In the following review, Richey comments on McCarthy's obsession with violence and evil in The Crossing, and lauds the author's great descriptive abilities.

In the following negative review, Kakutani discusses the influence of Faulkner on McCarthy's writing and compares The Crossing to Faulkner's story, The Bear. Faulting The Crossing's "self-importance" and "pretentious prose," Kakutani dismisses the novel as a "loose variation" on the themes of All the Pretty Horses.

In the following review, Jones lauds McCarthy as a "master prose stylist," and calls The Crossing "emotionally satisfying." A portion of the review is spent discussing McCarthy's emerging status as a prominent writer, and his growing fan following.