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Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts
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, Pregnancy
This is a book written in the 80s about the 1870s, so there is outdated language and period-accurate portrayals of attitudes about/treatment of Native Americans and un-married women/sex workers.
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault
Minor: Gore
Now that that's out of the way: I loved this book so much.
Honestly, it was more than I ever expected it to be and brought out all the emotions, from anger and despair to heartbroken. These characters live in my head rent free and I'm glad to share the space with them. This book simply captivated me. Actually, it was more than that - I wanted to nerd out over this book, write a paper about the female characters and how McMurtry handled each one, and discuss every little nuance. It has been a long time since a book has effected me in such a way and I can't wait to read this again.
For a book written in 1985 about the 1870s, I was expecting heaps of misogyny, racism, and all the other hateful things that often spawn from those time periods combining. But . . . that wasn't what I got. Yes, there was misogyny and racism, but it was in the context of the time period (that didn't stop me from angrily crossing out the n-word in my personal copy every time I read it - some things I don't need to read over and over).
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Genocide, Hate crime, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Trafficking, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Sexual content
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual assault