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liberrydude's review against another edition
3.0
This book tries too hard to be another Blood Meridian or Lonesome Dove. It’s the classic good versus evil, a quest, a chase and chasers as well as father and son and brothers all mixed up. Throw in an independent African American woman and a cult for good measure. A descent into depravity. Every chapter alternating between the chased and the chasers- I found this annoying. Descriptions tried too hard to capture place and feeling. Long sentences. Too long. But the action gets going and ends or culminates rather depressingly and perhaps not with the clarity one would hope or expect in such a bloody tale.
katekk12354's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
phunter22's review against another edition
3.0
The writing is beautiful, but sometimes more wordy than necessary. Not every sentence needs to be a rambling of thought and scenery, especially when those sentences end up being an entire paragraph's worth of action, description, or analogy. It felt like an overt homage to Cormac McCarthy. Overall a good story, although I had hoped for a more satisfying ending.
hellodarlinggirl's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-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
4.75
The long, descriptive sentences bothered me at first, but they fit the book, story and characters very well. They made the reader feel the sense of time stretching passing slowly, the vast desert wilderness and long, open sky. They also conveyed the sense of a lack of control on the part of the characters. The message of the book is all about choices and consequences, the only thing that these characters can control.
I really enjoyed this book, but it did get confusing at times to follow the plot when the author became very descriptive, so it lost some points.
I really enjoyed this book, but it did get confusing at times to follow the plot when the author became very descriptive, so it lost some points.
bundy23's review against another edition
Generic western with 3 unlikable leads that are as bland as they are cliche. The writing tries really hard to be literary but it feels a bit forced. I put it down twice, and the 2nd time I just didn't want to return... so I didn't... DNF
tanja2710's review against another edition
3.0
I really struggle with writing my review of All Things Left Wild. I really wanted to love this novel. The prose is really awesome, the topics dealt with are interesting. I know that many readers regard the novel as dark, but I actually don't think so. There is some nihilism, there is the question of the difference between man and the wild, namely animals. But here I missed depth. Furthermore, the plot indeed has potential, but it is too incoherent, so I've lost interest in the general story. I didn't care for the characters, I didn't care for the outcome of the book. The rest is good, but a story should keep my interest.
Due to this, I can only give 3 stars. But I will watch out for other novels by Wade in the future. The potential is definitely there and I understand why many people give all five stars, it is a matter of preference.
By the way, a western novel that is quite similar to, but manages to handle the plot, its characters and themes, is Only Killers and Thieves. That one got 5 stars from me.
Due to this, I can only give 3 stars. But I will watch out for other novels by Wade in the future. The potential is definitely there and I understand why many people give all five stars, it is a matter of preference.
By the way, a western novel that is quite similar to
lmc624's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
jfranco77's review against another edition
5.0
Initially I gave this 4 stars, but I think that was an unfair comparison to In The Distance (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36388598-in-the-distance) which was just a staggeringly good book. All Things Left Wild is more of a "regular" 5-star book, if there can be such a thing.
All Things Left Wild is a story of bad decisions and their consequences. Caleb Bentley and his brother are on the run in the Wild West after a fateful decision to steal horses goes terribly wrong. Randall Dawson is chasing after them, though he is ill-equipped to do so. Along the way, Caleb wrestles with his bad decisions and whether he can ever move past them. He also wrestles with his brother (sometimes literally) and whether he even wants to move past their outlaw status. Randall meets up with Charlotte, a hard woman who teaches him how to survive and maybe to understand his own feelings.
At times, Wade can get a little preachy or in love with his own words, but the overall story is great and the vivid descriptions of the American Southwest at the turn of the century are breathtaking.
All Things Left Wild is a story of bad decisions and their consequences. Caleb Bentley and his brother are on the run in the Wild West after a fateful decision to steal horses goes terribly wrong. Randall Dawson is chasing after them, though he is ill-equipped to do so. Along the way, Caleb wrestles with his bad decisions and whether he can ever move past them. He also wrestles with his brother (sometimes literally) and whether he even wants to move past their outlaw status. Randall meets up with Charlotte, a hard woman who teaches him how to survive and maybe to understand his own feelings.
At times, Wade can get a little preachy or in love with his own words, but the overall story is great and the vivid descriptions of the American Southwest at the turn of the century are breathtaking.