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A review by pzdrnk
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
5.0
Lonesome Dove is a book that surprised me from the very start. Initially, I struggled with its seemingly endless discussions about horses and beans, but somewhere along the way, I found myself completely absorbed in the story.
The characters in this novel feel more real and alive than in almost any other book I've read. I began by feeling irritated with certain characters, only to find myself loving them as the story progressed. Their complexity and depth allowed me to understand their motivations in a way I rarely do with people in real life. By the end, I found myself empathizing with even those whose actions I might not agree with—feeling as though I truly knew each of them.
My one criticism is how the novel reinforces certain Western stereotypes, particularly in its portrayal of Native American characters. Many are depicted as brutal savages, and while there's a brief acknowledgment of the land being taken from its original inhabitants, the issues of colonization and settlement are largely ignored. It's something to be mindful of while reading, but it doesn't detract from the fact that Lonesome Dove is an incredibly engaging and memorable book.
My one criticism is how the novel reinforces certain Western stereotypes, particularly in its portrayal of Native American characters. Many are depicted as brutal savages, and while there's a brief acknowledgment of the land being taken from its original inhabitants, the issues of colonization and settlement are largely ignored. It's something to be mindful of while reading, but it doesn't detract from the fact that Lonesome Dove is an incredibly engaging and memorable book.