Reviews

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

dominicwong's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

“I'm glad I've been wrong enough to keep in practice. . . You can't avoid it, you've got to learn to handle it. 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.”

Never have I read a book where I fell as in love with the characters as I did with those in Lonesome Dove. Each and every one of them feels so real, which makes each character's breathtaking, vast, and oftentimes heartbreaking journey feel that much more real as well. Lonesome Dove is something like a perfect novel, and maybe THE perfect western novel of all time.

yurugu's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

vivectelvanni's review

adventurous dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Animal death, Suicide, Gun violence, and Death

Moderate: War, Rape, Racism, Xenophobia, and Kidnapping

rachaelien's review against another edition

5.0

There aren't words right and enough to put to it. It's not a story or a book. It's life, I've lived and my heart is broken yet I'm glad for knowing it. It's been quite a party.

abbyprinceatwood's review against another edition

5.0

This novel is so perfectly written. Not a word out of place or a character unexplored. Even Captain McCall, so terse in his words and cruel in his refusal to accept Newt, conducts some of the kindest and most endearing actions at the end of the novel. When Call says goodbye to Newt and the Hat Creek boys, riding the Hell Bitch over to Newt before unsaddling her and giving her to Newt - it was as though he chose to ride the Hell Bitch that one final time. And how choked he was and puzzled by his inability to tell Newt he was his son: “... Call found he couldn’t speak at all. It was as if his whole life was suddenly lodged in his throat ...”

This entire journey of the Hat Creek Outfit was such an adventure. Such a love story and coming of age tale. So funny at times and so darn heartbreaking.

thebookishbollinger's review

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

wolfplaysdead's review against another edition

adventurous emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

bcook91's review

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

kbc1239's review against another edition

5.0

After seeing great reviews about this book I decided to try it out. I had not seen the TV series so I knew nothing about it. I have to say this was everything other reviewers said it was. It was raw, gritty and fun. It was a great read, full of hope, sorrow, happiness and adventure.

brevinirvin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75