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Dnf page 164
Slow to start which is fine. But the racism and sexism I couldn’t stand. I ended up googling the plot summary and this is a hard pass from me
It is possible to write a western without the racism and sexism but this author decided not to.
Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Kidnapping, Murder
Minor: Hate crime, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Colonisation, War
Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Violence
Moderate: Racism
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death
Minor: War
Moderate: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape
With many storylines that cross and intertwine, it still felt clear and easy to sort out who is who. The opening scene with the debate over the sign was one of my favorite parts of the book.
As kids we always played our pretend frontier skirmishes with indigenous folks winning the day in the end and ngl a bit of that rose up in my heart while reading. McMurtry does hint at some of the negative impacts of western expansion on both the decline of bison herds and occasional sympathetic encounter with displaced tribes, but it is more firmly seated in the western perspective. He doesn’t shy away from the uglier sides of the western story, whether from unpleasant events, perceptions, terms/names, etc.
If you can take a bit of trail grit in your coffee, pad your saddle and settle in for a long adventure.
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Xenophobia
Graphic: Animal death, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, Alcohol, Colonisation
Moderate: Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail
I feel accomplished for completing it. The humor throughout sustained me. The humor also grounded the story, making it feel more real. I think if the humor wasn’t present, I would’ve abandoned or at least thought less of the story.
The length of the book is mostly fitting, since it makes you feel like you’re trudging along at the same pace as the rest of the Hat Creek Outfit. Will the story stay with me? Maybe, vaguely. I’m somewhat curious about how Newt and Clara’s stories would evolve. Not sure I’ll continue reading the trilogy since I read that the next book in the series centers on Call. I wasn’t a fan of his character and lack of growth for 800+ pages. I mean sure it’s realistic, but he disappointed and annoyed me.
Favorite Characters: Gus, Newt, Deets, Po Campo, Clara, the pigs
Most exhausting characters: Call, Lorena, July, Elmira, Bob (the descriptions of his personality pre-accident)
Graphic: Death, Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Pregnancy
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Vomit
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail
This book was brutal. It plots along and ends in such a hollow place you can't even cry. I feel angry at it because I don't understand the point but that's just it. Sometimes you don't and I'm choked up now for all the tragedy and horror and pointlessness of it all. There was beauty in spots and the journey felt so alive at the end but each death was blunt and brutal and shocking. You couldn't love them for they were so flawed but how could you hate them? It felt like a journey of life with patches that felt stable and understandable torn into pieces in moments.
If I had more of an inkling I'd talk about the brutalist poetic prose or the moral complexity or the hostorical lens but I feel so emptied out by the story that I don't want to anymore. I was so hooked that I couldn't be bothered to stop and write and now here I am without the desire.
If that doesn't say something about Lonesome Doce I don't know what will.
P. S. The pigs were my favorite part
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War
Minor: Ableism, Drug use