Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

21 reviews

harveyrichardwilson's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful 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

4.75


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erynlasbelin's review against another edition

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

4.0


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sanfordc11's review

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adventurous funny tense fast-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


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vampireph4ze's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

i think i'm actually going to have to sit down at my computer one day and write an essay or at least a blurb about this whole book and it's insane effect on me. it is a wonderful story and one that made me cry countless times not only because of its sadness from the expected deaths on a long journey in the wild west but also because of its humanity. i have never been so moved by a story simply from its existence. there were times i found myself crying when i least expected it and times i sat stone faced when i thought i would cry (and i say these both as positives — it makes me question "why?" and evokes a deeper search into answering that). the characters of Lonesome Dove are all three-dimensional and incredibly interesting to pick apart. there are things you can like or appreciate and dislike about all of them. their mistakes are real, their wants are familiar, their stubbornness and pride and curiosity and love is utterly human and so so beautiful. Larry McMurtry did a brilliant job at creating a world that is equally as moving as it is funny. the members of the Hat Creek Outfit became my friends and i laughed and i mourned and i adventured with them and i am so so grateful i made the decision to pick up this long book that has become a hidden gem in these recent years.

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alexhaydon's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful sad 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

5.0


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tgaddie's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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tarajoy90's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny reflective sad 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


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noonjinx's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative 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

4.5

This is certainly an epic. McMurtry spends 300 pages introducing his characters and then another 600 weaving their stories in and out of a 3000 mile cattle drive from Texas to Montana.

McMurtry obviously loves his subject: the book is full of western tropes but he manages to undermine the myths by showing how harsh and unforgiving frontier life was, and how survival depended on luck as much as judgement and skill.

The action is nicely paced. The characters are all deep, beautifully drawn and uniquely flawed, so you end up loving and admiring them but wanting to slap some sense into them too. The book is funny as well as exciting and sad. It’s worth reading for Gus’ hilarious monologues alone.

Some of the plot lines depend heavily on coincidence. Characters run into each other all the time and at one point McMurtry tries to explain this away by telling us there was only one road. The last few chapters are tragic and pretty bleak, but worse than that, the introspection goes on too long and gets a little boring.

I also wish the author had been a little braver in his myth busting. There’s a lot of frontier justice in this book and McMurtry can’t help justifying every lynching. I think it would have been more interesting and Captan Call had occasionally got the wrong guy.

Still a great book to read.

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elizathering's review

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adventurous emotional funny reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I would say if you’re looking for a love story this isn’t it. It’s more of a tragic one sided love for all the pairings. Lots of adventures if that’s what you’re looking for.

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missjazzage's review against another edition

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adventurous funny sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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