ashbabe's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sirinissearchingforbooks's review against another edition
4.0
/!\ disclaimer: those are quotes from the book, they might contain spoilers.
It made me ill to hear him quote the Commodore so lovingly.
- page 10
'You are just like Mother, in many ways.'
'You're not. And you're not like Father, either.'
'I am like no one.'
He said this casually, but it was the type of statement that eclipsed the conversation, killed it.
- page 17-18
We can all of us be hurt, and no one is exclusively safe from worry and sadness.
- page 50
I puffed myself up to make my voice sound natural but my tone reflected the hurt I had suffered by the unkind words of my brother.
- page 58
'What's the matter with you? You're acting differently.'
'I feel the same as before.'
- page 60
'All is well then?'
'Not all but most.'
- page 62
'Six months is a long time,' I said.
'I have waited longer for less.'
'I wish there was some way I could hurry it along for you.'
- page 64
He is not bad, I don't think. Perhaps he is simply too lazy to be good.
- page 66
'Are your feelings reciprocated?'
'I don't know what that word means.'
'Does she love you too?'
'I don't think she does, no.'
- page 94-95
'I would sooner die than click my heels for you.'
'He is the unfriendly one,' Mayfield said to Charlie.
'We take turns,' Charlie said.
- page 123
'What does that mean? After him?'
'He has done something incorrect and we have been hired to bring him to justice.'
'But you are not lawmen?'
'We are the opposite of lawmen.'
- page 138
'You are a peculiar girl,' I said.
'It's a peculiar lifetime on earth,' she countered. I did not know what to say to that.
- page 143
I thought, Will his fondness for senseless carnage ever cease?
- page 146
I was thinking that a man like myself, after suffering such a blow as you men have struck on this day, has two distinct paths he might travel in his life. He might walk out into the world with a wounded heart, intent on sharing his mad hatred with every person he passes; or, he might start out anew with an empty heart, and he should take care to fill it up with only proud things from then on, so as to nourish his desolate mind-set and cultivate something positive anew.
- page 160
And that, Eli, is how you got your freckles.
- page 167
'Who was that?' said the voice.
'That is my brother,' said Charlie.
'So there are two of you, now.'
'There was always two of us,' I told her. 'Since the day I was born there was.'
- page 179
I have no one to turn to in this, and will have to answer the call on my own.'
- page 195
I found my lip was quivering; my feelings were so deeply injured that morning, looking at my brother on his fine, tall horse, and knowing he did not love me the way I had always loved and admired him and looked up to him [...].
- page 218
I very much wanted to simply quit then, to stop and walk away from Tub, and from the job, and Charlie, to return on a new horse for my pile in Mayfield and construct a separate life, with the pale bookkeeper or without, just as long as everything was restful and easy and completely different from my present position in the world.
- page 219
I said, 'We are doing this for a wage, and out of your reverence for a powerful man whom you hope to one day usurp or somehow become.'
- page 221
Now that he was gone it was as though my sympathy for him too was gone and I was looking forward to my life without him.
- page 242
I said to myself, Hermann, the world has raised up its fists and struck you down! I resolved to strike back.
- page 269
I have recognized the problem. I know it doesn't agree with me. Why not stop? Why not put an end to it? No, that would make too much sense. That would be entirely too reasonable.
- page 270
I had never before pondered the notion of humanity, or whether I was happy or unhappy to be human, I now felt a sense of pride at the human mind, its curiosity and perseverance; I was obstinately glad to be alive, and glad to be myself.
- page 284
Looking back at the camp I thought, I will never be a leader of men, and neither do I want to be one, and neither do I want to be led. I thought: I want to lead only myself.
- page 302
'You look just the same, do you know?'
I cannot state how much of a relief it was to hear her say this, and I told her, 'When I see you, I feel the same. It is when I am away that I lose myself.'
- page 322
'We had many adventures together, Charlie and I, and we saw things most men do not get to see.'
'And is that so important?'
'Now that it is over it seems so.'
- page 322
I listened intently and decided that my brother and I were, for the present at least, removed from all earthly dangers and horrors.
And might I say what a pleasing conclusion this was for me.
- page 325
It made me ill to hear him quote the Commodore so lovingly.
- page 10
'You are just like Mother, in many ways.'
'You're not. And you're not like Father, either.'
'I am like no one.'
He said this casually, but it was the type of statement that eclipsed the conversation, killed it.
- page 17-18
We can all of us be hurt, and no one is exclusively safe from worry and sadness.
- page 50
I puffed myself up to make my voice sound natural but my tone reflected the hurt I had suffered by the unkind words of my brother.
- page 58
'What's the matter with you? You're acting differently.'
'I feel the same as before.'
- page 60
'All is well then?'
'Not all but most.'
- page 62
'Six months is a long time,' I said.
'I have waited longer for less.'
'I wish there was some way I could hurry it along for you.'
- page 64
He is not bad, I don't think. Perhaps he is simply too lazy to be good.
- page 66
'Are your feelings reciprocated?'
'I don't know what that word means.'
'Does she love you too?'
'I don't think she does, no.'
- page 94-95
'I would sooner die than click my heels for you.'
'He is the unfriendly one,' Mayfield said to Charlie.
'We take turns,' Charlie said.
- page 123
'What does that mean? After him?'
'He has done something incorrect and we have been hired to bring him to justice.'
'But you are not lawmen?'
'We are the opposite of lawmen.'
- page 138
'You are a peculiar girl,' I said.
'It's a peculiar lifetime on earth,' she countered. I did not know what to say to that.
- page 143
I thought, Will his fondness for senseless carnage ever cease?
- page 146
I was thinking that a man like myself, after suffering such a blow as you men have struck on this day, has two distinct paths he might travel in his life. He might walk out into the world with a wounded heart, intent on sharing his mad hatred with every person he passes; or, he might start out anew with an empty heart, and he should take care to fill it up with only proud things from then on, so as to nourish his desolate mind-set and cultivate something positive anew.
- page 160
And that, Eli, is how you got your freckles.
- page 167
'Who was that?' said the voice.
'That is my brother,' said Charlie.
'So there are two of you, now.'
'There was always two of us,' I told her. 'Since the day I was born there was.'
- page 179
I have no one to turn to in this, and will have to answer the call on my own.'
- page 195
I found my lip was quivering; my feelings were so deeply injured that morning, looking at my brother on his fine, tall horse, and knowing he did not love me the way I had always loved and admired him and looked up to him [...].
- page 218
I very much wanted to simply quit then, to stop and walk away from Tub, and from the job, and Charlie, to return on a new horse for my pile in Mayfield and construct a separate life, with the pale bookkeeper or without, just as long as everything was restful and easy and completely different from my present position in the world.
- page 219
I said, 'We are doing this for a wage, and out of your reverence for a powerful man whom you hope to one day usurp or somehow become.'
- page 221
Now that he was gone it was as though my sympathy for him too was gone and I was looking forward to my life without him.
- page 242
I said to myself, Hermann, the world has raised up its fists and struck you down! I resolved to strike back.
- page 269
I have recognized the problem. I know it doesn't agree with me. Why not stop? Why not put an end to it? No, that would make too much sense. That would be entirely too reasonable.
- page 270
I had never before pondered the notion of humanity, or whether I was happy or unhappy to be human, I now felt a sense of pride at the human mind, its curiosity and perseverance; I was obstinately glad to be alive, and glad to be myself.
- page 284
Looking back at the camp I thought, I will never be a leader of men, and neither do I want to be one, and neither do I want to be led. I thought: I want to lead only myself.
- page 302
'You look just the same, do you know?'
I cannot state how much of a relief it was to hear her say this, and I told her, 'When I see you, I feel the same. It is when I am away that I lose myself.'
- page 322
'We had many adventures together, Charlie and I, and we saw things most men do not get to see.'
'And is that so important?'
'Now that it is over it seems so.'
- page 322
I listened intently and decided that my brother and I were, for the present at least, removed from all earthly dangers and horrors.
And might I say what a pleasing conclusion this was for me.
- page 325
k8lynl3wis's review against another edition
4.0
3.75?
I can't make up my mind on this book. I wanted to love it and for the most part really did, Eli is so endearing but also super frustrating. Dare I say I think I'll enjoy the movie adaptation more..
I can't make up my mind on this book. I wanted to love it and for the most part really did, Eli is so endearing but also super frustrating. Dare I say I think I'll enjoy the movie adaptation more..
maviemerveilleuse's review against another edition
Characters were interesting, but the book as a whole just wasn’t doing it for me.
steveinfact's review against another edition
3.0
Cracks along at a rollicking pace but ultimately feels a little slight. Certainly doesn't over-stay its welcome but then neither does it deliver fully on all of its promising revisionist Western elements.
neverblue7's review against another edition
5.0
Could not put this down. I loved the dark humor of the philosophizing gun for hire who wanted something better but couldn't really imagine what. Hilarious, tragic, and at times even very touching. Can't wait to read de Witt's other work.
lewsovisa's review against another edition
4.0
Awesome. One of the best western novels ever, I feel bad calling it a western as it feels more like a character driven book. Loved it.
rsoccer70's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
onioons's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
5.0