Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

24 reviews

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!

---

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.

stupendoussteve's review

adventurous emotional funny inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Part One can be a bit slow, it is chock full of character development which does pay off in the end but can be difficult at first. Later on the book has action, drama, and depth. There are parts that had me close to tears, it really does pull you in. The characters themselves seem very realistic, and not overly stereotypical. They all have their own personalities and motivations, they are all flawed and damaged people in various ways. It adds a lot.

I added a lot of content warnings but they should not be taken as negatives to this book at all. This book feels true to the post-civil war time period in the wild west. It was not a gentle place. This book does not feel explicit, it does not glorify the bad things that happen.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Minor: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, and Adult/minor relationship

mynamerhymes's review

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

1.0

This book had so many problems: 
1. It is way too long. 
2. Rampant racism and misogyny throughout - the treatment of women, minorities, and native Americans was very bad. 
3. In all 37 hours of the audiobook there is only the faintest glimmer of a plot and so much unnecessary everything else. Why did no one edit out any of the tangents? What was the point?

But it won the Pulitzer and is your mother's favorite book, surely it must have redeeming qualities? And I did like the narrator and found the very beginning where they were just a few washed up Rangers hanging out in Lonesome Dove sort of funny. But if you think that a prize-winning door-stopper like this has anything to offer you, I recommend you list to Stars from Les Misérables while looking at pictures of the prairie - it will impart the same idea in significantly less time.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexism, and Sexual assault

ecclesiastic_bohemian's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is an excellent book - every facet of it, from the characters, the setting, the plot and the prose.  It is a great adventure full of dramatic triumph and tragedy.  I recommend it highly - even if one is not a fan of westerns - you will very likely enjoy this.  Simply put: an altogether good read.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Torture

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Racial slurs

Minor: Animal death and Terminal illness