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Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Vomit, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Excrement, Dementia, Trafficking, Abortion, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical trauma, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
"Why would you want to keep in practice being wrong?" Call asked. "I'd think it would be something you'd try to avoid."
"You can't avoid it, you've got to learn to handle it," Augustus said. "If you only come face-to-face with your own mistakes once or twice in your life it's bound to be extra painful. I face mine every day—that way they ain't usually much worse than a dry shave."
As well as being good life advice, this quote sums up pretty well the difference between Gus and Call, our two cowboys who are bromance BFFs and our protagonists of this story. Augustus McCrae is the freewheeling, womanising philosopher who won't shut up, and Captain Call is the taciturn, hardworking one who finds it extra painful to come face-to-face with his own mistakes. These ex-Texas Rangers turned horse traders and cowboys secretly love each other even though they annoy the dern piss out of each other. (Apparently they are modelled on two real life cowboys who were called Goodnight and Loving! There's a "Goodnight-Loving Trail" in Texas which is truly an amazing name.)
This is a rollicking good yarn! Put that quote on the back. I don't think I need to read much about cowboys to have had my fill for one lifetime, so I agree that this is indeed the definitive cowboy story to read. Fundamentally the story of a journey, as I was nearing the end I was struck by how it's not dissimilar to <i>A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet</i> in which a bunch of friends in a space ship travel, create and resolve relationship conflicts, and make it to their destination having learned something about themselves and each other. Except this one can do heartbreaking equally as well as it conveys cosy camaraderie. Don't let it trick yer. The author has accurately, as far as I can tell, conveyed the whole gamut of the human experience for a bunch of cowboys in Texas at this point in time, and things can go from chuckle-worthy to horrifying in the space of a page. Life is cheap.
Things are largely character based and the author has done a fine job. The omniscient third-person perspective allows us to spend time with the thoughts of many different characters, and while they're not all as fully realised as Gus and Captain Call, they're all believable. The relationships feel genuine and the dialogue is a delight. I was a bit worried that the book was going to be sexist though, given the main (only?) female character of the first half is a "working girl", but the ladies get rendered in as much depth as the men. Clara in particular is a high point.
Oh, plot-wise it waxes and wanes, but in general plenty of things happen to keep everything moving. A few of the more frenetic scenes are written a little awkwardly, I thought, but one can't be good at everything.
I also wish it were about a third shorter, as I had to take a break in the middle, but it's hard to find much else to fault with it.
(Gus is my favourite by the way.)
Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual violence, Violence
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Racial slurs
Graphic: Gore, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence
Moderate: Gore, Sexual assault
Of course I couldn't help but think of Taylor Sheridan's 1883, especially given both journeys are to end in Yellowstone. It's also just as littered with tragedy and sorrow.
I can see why people would gravitate toward this book. A lot to ponder and lots to discuss to consider regardless of where you land on the political spectrum. I can see people claiming the book represents all sorts of ideas and ideals. I suppose that's what makes this book brilliant.
I shall probably not read the other three. This book was exhausting!
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail
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, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Gore, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia
Minor: Genocide
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
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, 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, War