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lillianlegg's review
4.0
john grady had a point because i think anyone would probably go on a suicidal horse rescue mission if their pretty gf turned down a marriage proposal and got on a train without looking back 4.9/5 stars
rollot's review
adventurous
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
zoe808's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
samikoonjones's review
adventurous
emotional
sad
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? It's complicated
2.25
kcrouth's review
4.0
A nicely written story of searching, love, determination, and moving on, wonderfully told as only Cormac McCarthy can do. Looking to see the Matt Damon / Penélope Cruz movie now. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0149624/
klparmley's review against another edition
3.0
I think this isn't a good book for me to listen to. Chuck has it in hard back, though, and I'll probably try again in the different format.
_sal_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
In my opinion this is one Cormacs more accessible novels and for my pea brain this was great! His prose is always lean and with no fat but is often laden with flowery details that help in imagining the story and characters. Every book feels like a movie and it’s not surprising seeing that he had extensive knowledge of a good movie script.
I think that like many cross generational books this one deals with the common theme of a new generation coming to disavow the last generation’s legacy. In this case however Cormac McCarthy unlike other authors makes a member of a new generation one that wants to live and die in the previous one. It is John Grady who wants to live as a rancher and his divorced parents the ones ready to embark in a world full urbanization and modernity.
This was very striking to me for all other books are the opposite, a prime example being fathers and sons by Turgenev.
So John Grady along with Rawlings decide to cross the border to Mexico where “there are big ranches still.” In search of their dream they embark on a journey that is at times comical but mostly one of hardship. They meet a boy Blevins who is on the same mission. I was captivated by this trio and seeing them com apart was at times heartbreaking, a heart break that culminates in Blevins’ death.
I think that unlike his other books with perhaps the exception of The Road, all the Pretty Horses shows a love story that was very touching and moving. Alejandra was the woman for Grady but in the end (it is a McCarthy book after all) they become seperated oddly enough not necessarily because of the people attempting to take them apart like Don Hector or La señora but because of Alejandra herself.
I would love to read the rest of the border trilogy soon, I think that All the Pretty Horses ranks as one my favorite McCarthy books and I see it becoming one of mg favorite reads of the year. It was funny, exhilarating, and like any good McCarthy novel, a tad bit depressing as we see John Grady ride into the sunset unsure of his future and with no country to call his own.
Favorite quotes:
“In history there are no control groups. There is no one to tell us what might have been. We weep over the might have been, but there is no might have been. There never was. It is supposed to be true that those who do not know history are condemned to repeat it. I dont believe knowing can save us. What is constant in history is greed and foolishness and a love of blood and this is a thing that even God-who knows all that can be known-seems powerless to change.”
“Scars have the strange power to remind us” -(this is definitely another aspect of the book that struck me as John Grady definitely had many scars to show)
“There was someone there and they had been there. There was no one there. There was someone there and they had been there and they had not left but there was no one there.”
I think that like many cross generational books this one deals with the common theme of a new generation coming to disavow the last generation’s legacy. In this case however Cormac McCarthy unlike other authors makes a member of a new generation one that wants to live and die in the previous one. It is John Grady who wants to live as a rancher and his divorced parents the ones ready to embark in a world full urbanization and modernity.
This was very striking to me for all other books are the opposite, a prime example being fathers and sons by Turgenev.
So John Grady along with Rawlings decide to cross the border to Mexico where “there are big ranches still.” In search of their dream they embark on a journey that is at times comical but mostly one of hardship. They meet a boy Blevins who is on the same mission. I was captivated by this trio and seeing them com apart was at times heartbreaking, a heart break that culminates in Blevins’ death.
I think that unlike his other books with perhaps the exception of The Road, all the Pretty Horses shows a love story that was very touching and moving. Alejandra was the woman for Grady but in the end (it is a McCarthy book after all) they become seperated oddly enough not necessarily because of the people attempting to take them apart like Don Hector or La señora but because of Alejandra herself.
I would love to read the rest of the border trilogy soon, I think that All the Pretty Horses ranks as one my favorite McCarthy books and I see it becoming one of mg favorite reads of the year. It was funny, exhilarating, and like any good McCarthy novel, a tad bit depressing as we see John Grady ride into the sunset unsure of his future and with no country to call his own.
Favorite quotes:
“In history there are no control groups. There is no one to tell us what might have been. We weep over the might have been, but there is no might have been. There never was. It is supposed to be true that those who do not know history are condemned to repeat it. I dont believe knowing can save us. What is constant in history is greed and foolishness and a love of blood and this is a thing that even God-who knows all that can be known-seems powerless to change.”
“Scars have the strange power to remind us” -(this is definitely another aspect of the book that struck me as John Grady definitely had many scars to show)
“There was someone there and they had been there. There was no one there. There was someone there and they had been there and they had not left but there was no one there.”
samcurler13's review
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
huddycleve's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-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
4.0
thomasthereader's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This is a great way to learn Spanish. I loved the dreamy and atmospheric and philosophical style of McCarthy and a huge fan of each book I’ve read so far. I didn’t love this as much as the others, but still a super high bar of quality that it is still better than so much that is out there. Making the story revolve around horses both plot wise and metaphorically in dreams was very well done. I personally didn’t care for the parts where he was in a relationship, so having that as the main driving force for the back half I didn’t really care for. It’s so poetic how the prose flow when you get in it you are hypnotized and feel right there in the center of everything. This will definitely linger in my thoughts. I want to wait a while before my next McCarthy book or reread one before going to the next because I might run out. Can’t wait for the sequel though.