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carojust's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The book follows Texas rangers Call and Augustus as they decide to make money driving cattle to Montana, across risky terrain full of bandits, wild animals, rivers and dry plains. Larry McMurtry takes great care in fleshing out the contrasting personalities of the two main characters, as well as their moments of heroism and loss. The fight scenes, especially, were so well imagined, and make your heart race.
What held me back was how one-dimensional the secondary characters were, particularly how Native Americans and women were portrayed. Violent or starved, a whore or a mother. And I don't think this was done in any kind of pursuasive way, it was just convenient to stereotype, and serve as ornamental means to manhood.
Nevertheless, you'll enjoy this if you're in the mood for adventurous plots, a large cast of characters, and rooting for heroes. Please consider the content warnings, too.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
annatlibrarian14's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Animal death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
seanml's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child death, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, Blood, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
m1nature's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
flaweddimension's review against another edition
Graphic: Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence
byrdy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Rape, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
erynlasbelin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Infidelity, Mental illness, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and War
alexhaydon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and Murder
kuhnja's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This one took me a minute to get though at almost 900 pages and one missstart. I started this on audio and abandoned it about halfway through because I thought it warranted a little more of my attention and I was so right. I’m glad I restarted from the beginning because it made me appreciate the story so much more. This is one I felt like I would have read and written a paper on in college. I wish I could be in a class and hear the debate and analysis over this one.
The length helped the epic timeline of the story have more impact. The multiple storylines were an annoyance at first but a delight once I settled in. I loved the interconnectivity. The ending felt a little rushed and tacked on. It was so close to being perfect.
The story was so heartbreaking and raw and real. Trajedy was matter of fact without the drama that most books add. It made the loss feel more like it does in real life. The book was so sad, so funny, so full of longing and what might have been. Hubris and comradery.
Last year it felt good to hit my reading goal, and this was a different kind of goal, to get through such a long book, but it was such a delight.
Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy
graff_fuller's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The characters may seem/are stupid or just plain ignorant of the wider world, but they have a strength without worldly knowledge that is oddly translated into wisdom.
This applies especially to Augustus McCrea. He was NOT perfect. He wasn't sparing with his wisdom, and more so...you couldn't shut him up...BUT he was also a good man.
SPOILERS below 👇
So, throughout the story, the main protagonist...turned out to be Captain Call. Not really, but this is how the story ends...carrying on the story...and burying his friend/enemy (in a friendly way) back to Lonesome Dove, TX...to the garden. Such a waste, in my opinion.
I'm glad that Lori ended up with Clara, July and the kids...that really was the best place...and they will NEVER lack for anything...bc of the generous gift by Augustus to Lori.
I so wish that Captain could've done more for Newt. I stand with Clara on that decision, plus what she felt should've been done with Augustus' body. What a shame to have made a promise to a dead man...when ALL the people who loved him were in Nebraska and Montana...and NOT in Texas. Ugh.
I also wonder how the story progresses and who the story will follow? So, it will be interesting. I will not read it now, or soon, but I will continue on with this series.
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism and Rape