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A review by niallgoulding1
Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
reflective
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? It's complicated
2.5
An interesting read if dated.
The novel shows it age in many ways. Its melodramatic, slow-paced and never shy of using 20 words to describe something that could have been achieved in two.
I came to this after searching for novels with a similar setting to American Primeval. In tone, they couldn't be more different. While the TV show is all action, all the time for our modern attention spans, this is a real slow burn. We get extended descriptions of the landscape and flora/fauna. It is a love letter to the plains and canyons of Utah and also the lifestyle and horses that make it possible. It is also heavy on romance.
While a slog in places, the story does ramp up near the end and concludes in a satisfying way. I was invested in the characters' fates. And as a time-capsule of people's views at the time (correct or not) of the West and the Mormons its very interesting.
The novel shows it age in many ways. Its melodramatic, slow-paced and never shy of using 20 words to describe something that could have been achieved in two.
I came to this after searching for novels with a similar setting to American Primeval. In tone, they couldn't be more different. While the TV show is all action, all the time for our modern attention spans, this is a real slow burn. We get extended descriptions of the landscape and flora/fauna. It is a love letter to the plains and canyons of Utah and also the lifestyle and horses that make it possible. It is also heavy on romance.
While a slog in places, the story does ramp up near the end and concludes in a satisfying way. I was invested in the characters' fates. And as a time-capsule of people's views at the time (correct or not) of the West and the Mormons its very interesting.