Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

30 reviews

krysley's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

 All right, a warning for anyone who reads the 2010 Simon & Schuster edition: do not read the preface unless you want spoilers for the rest of the books!

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). 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Animal death, Death, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Violence, Gun violence, Physical abuse, and Rape

kakabska's review

adventurous reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Sexual violence, and Gun violence

Moderate: Addiction

deadeye's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Vomit, War, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Violence, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, and Torture

Moderate: Pedophilia, Abortion, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicide, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship

thecatladybooknook_penny's review

adventurous challenging emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book. I remember the TV show being on in the late 80s, but I never watched it. I think I will now though.

I started out just "okay" about this story but then the characters started growing on me. The characters have such different relationships with each other, and even though part of the time you're at Lonesome Dove, Texas, and then the majority of the time you're on a cattle drive from the Rio Grande to Montana where "nothing happens", a LOT actually happens. So many relationships and character moments that have so many layers....SO GOOD!!!! So many tense moments in the plot, in the harsh environment of the unexplored West and in the relationships.

Midway of this book, I wasn't sure if I wanted to read the others in the series, then as I read more, I started to feel sad that I wouldn't have more time with these characters so they will definitely make their way into my reading life sometime next year. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Violence

graceq22's review

adventurous emotional reflective tense fast-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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Colonisation, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and War

katjoyphil's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

literarypaiges's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Racism, Racial slurs, and Blood

Moderate: Sexual violence and Sexual content

Minor: Vomit

literaturesciencealliance's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

I can see why people love this book and think of it as one of their favorites. For me it really overstayed its welcome. Its such a character driven story and I didn't really like or care about most of the characters. I think it began to lose me when we got to part 2 and started adding more point of views. I was never convinced that those needed to be there, they were my least favorite parts and added to the length of the book. I also didn't really love the ending but totally recognize that as a personal taste thing. Its a really solid historical fiction and shows the darker and less glorified side of being a cowboy and ranger in the 1800s. Would recommend if you like exploring that setting and want to read one of the most beloved books in that genre. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Animal death, Death, Child death, Kidnapping, Gore, and Gun violence

Moderate: Blood, Violence, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief

ali28's review

adventurous emotional fast-paced

• 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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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence

caitlin_bookchats's review

adventurous challenging reflective sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

I don't really know how I feel about this yet. Sorry!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Rape, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Medical content, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Violence

Minor: Ableism, Cannibalism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, and Slavery

8 or more characters die in the course of the book, there is occasional use of the n-word to describe black cowboys, there is a lot of talk about fear of specific tribes and American Indians generally, references to the Texas Rangers "civilizing" Texas by chasing all the tribes out, and one particularly brutal outlaw is an American Indian. Two of the four female characters have a background as or spend some time during the book as prostitutes and this is discussed fairly frankly but without flowery language or heavy detail.