Reviews - Lonesome Dove | The StoryGraph

4.31k reviews for:

Lonesome Dove

Larry McMurtry

4.58 AVERAGE

jakestenson's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional inspiring medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A beautiful read

sholladay12's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

himay3000's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious 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

In Larry McMurtry’s masterpiece, he shows how mostly every character is a lonesome dove, all brought together under the same Hat Creek Outfit. Many of them don’t have families to go back to, but make a family out of the livery stable they work for. McMurtry notes in the preface that Newt is the “lonesome dove” of the novel, but I can see how more than one character can be characterized as that.

Family can be found within the people we choose to surround ourselves with. They will teach us life lessons, be hard on us when we need to learn, but also defend us when needed. The road may be a long one but they will stick by us, even after death, fulfilling our last wishes.

The Latin phrase Gus writes early on in the novel, Uva Uvum Vivendo Varia Fit, which translates to “a grape changes colors (or ripens) when it sees another grape”, I think thoroughly sums up the book for me. Our lives are changed by the lives of those around us, and that was very evident throughout this book in each of the characters’ development.

mattepaper's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional reflective 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

sshingleton's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous medium-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

kubrick's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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

sgeanakoplos's review against another edition

5.0

I mean, talk about full circle.

The balance between character/setting development and plot was impeccable. I rarely found myself in a reading lull (which is impressive because this is a THICK book.) I felt like I knew each of these characters, they were typical western personas brought to life.

I am a big fantasy/historical romance reader, so I was pleasantly surprised when I started reading this Western and actually got swept up in the story.