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micardila's review
3.0
This isn't the type of genre/story I read, but it was plotted and paced well. A good ol' yarn of a western with cowboys, kidnappings, complicated moral characters, and such.
jessidbee's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
colorfulleo92's review
2.0
Got 8 hours left of the hour book but no, I'm not going to force me to finish it. I'll risk putting it down even if it would get better by this point. I won't try to do a decent review as I just want to move on and read a better book
papamoose23's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
woozy_woozle's review
2.0
Though a story about banditos, cowboys, and robber barons at the crossroads of the Mexican Revolution appeared promising, El Paso proved to be a major disappointment. The story primarily follows Arthur Shaughnessey, the son of a near-bankrupt, railroad tycoon, who embarks on an epic journey to rescue his children who have been kidnapped by General Pancho Villa on during a fateful excursion to Mexico. Sprinkled throughout the journey are a cavalcade of minor characters and historical figures including essayist and professional curmudgeon Ambrose Bierce, socialist reporter John Reed, Buffalo soldier and engineer Henry O. Flipper, Hollywood Cowboy Tom Mix, Gen John Pershing, and a young Lt. George S. Patron. Despite this unwieldy cast, Groom is perhaps most successful in capturing the brutality of the period and the contrast of the plight of the Mexican people in an unforgiving landscape with the affluence of American millionaires. Yet the epic is what actually dooms the narrative.
Groom introduces far too many characters and thus only a few are developed with any real detail. Historical figures are ham-fisted in and are mere caricatures of themselves. Many minor characters are wooden as well and can easily be described by singular traits. This is partially a result of Groom transitioning between character perspectives at a break-neck clip, as little time is given for one character to develop before another is introduced. Yet it is also a product of Groom's often uninspired prose which often tells the reader how they should feel in a given situation rather than exploring the world and thoughts of each character. As such, some pretty jarring passages in the book (such as the bull-fight sequence or final gunfight sequences) carry little if any emotional weight.
This is a book that can, and probably will, find its way to the big screen. And with much whittling it could even be a very entertaining story. Yet there is a particular scene in El Paso which aptly describes the novel writ large. To celebrate Christmas in captivity, Villa allows the Shaughnessy children to hit a Pinata filled by Villa's men with haphazard trinkets and odds and ends around camp, with the occasional cookie and treat. Groom has constructed a vibrant tale on the surface, and while there are some wonderful moments, it is not enough to make up for the rest of the disappointments. That is, of course, only when Groom actually hits his mark.
Groom introduces far too many characters and thus only a few are developed with any real detail. Historical figures are ham-fisted in and are mere caricatures of themselves. Many minor characters are wooden as well and can easily be described by singular traits. This is partially a result of Groom transitioning between character perspectives at a break-neck clip, as little time is given for one character to develop before another is introduced. Yet it is also a product of Groom's often uninspired prose which often tells the reader how they should feel in a given situation rather than exploring the world and thoughts of each character. As such, some pretty jarring passages in the book (such as the bull-fight sequence or final gunfight sequences) carry little if any emotional weight.
This is a book that can, and probably will, find its way to the big screen. And with much whittling it could even be a very entertaining story. Yet there is a particular scene in El Paso which aptly describes the novel writ large. To celebrate Christmas in captivity, Villa allows the Shaughnessy children to hit a Pinata filled by Villa's men with haphazard trinkets and odds and ends around camp, with the occasional cookie and treat. Groom has constructed a vibrant tale on the surface, and while there are some wonderful moments, it is not enough to make up for the rest of the disappointments. That is, of course, only when Groom actually hits his mark.
tamara_mousa's review
5.0
A very enlightening book about the war between the Mexicans and Americans!
There is more about it in my blog: https://www.tamarayousefmousa.com/
There is more about it in my blog: https://www.tamarayousefmousa.com/
sjj169's review against another edition
2.0
Immediately upon starting this book I kept asking myself one question.
I loathed the book of [b:Forrest Gump|186190|Forrest Gump (Forrest Gump, #1)|Winston Groom|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1385313197s/186190.jpg|1500218] (calm down.. the movie was awesome) so I think I fell to that old trap of just loving a cover and not putting any other thoughts into why I'm reading a book..and ended up with this stinker.
I'll learn one day not to do that. Because this was a long- hard- boring -ass book. It's the story of mainly Arthur. He grew up in an orphanage until he somehow lucks up at the age of eight and is adopted by a rich couple and swept off his feet. He never dreamed of getting to lead the life of a railroad tycoon's son. That railroad tycoon likes to piss through money though and Arthur grows up to have mostly a job of keeping them out of the poorhouse. Not that they really even get close. But it's hinted at.
Arthur's father or the 'Colonel' ends up realizing his land in Mexico (that he bought dirt cheap) is under attack by Pancho Villa. His beef is being stolen and eaten and he is not going to stand for it. He loads up his wife and Arthur's family and they head into the unrest. Once there the Colonel decides to drive his cattle back to the US to keep them from ending up in the uprising's tummies. After he and Arthur leave..Pancho Villa comes to the ranch and takes Arthur's two children hostage.
So now there is an epic chase to get them back.
Save your time is what I say. There are many random characters through out the book that I couldn't give two craps about and none of the characters felt real. They all felt like cardboard cut-outs of what the book could have been.
There is lots of violence so I kept reading the stupid thing hoping it would all tie together and make some kind of sense. AND that's another thing..THIS STUPID THING IS LONG! If you are going to write a big old puppy squisher at least make me not get all ticked off about all the time I wasted reading this. EIGHT FRIGGING HOURS!
Then the icing on the cake was..I think the author just wove in political views that felt timely to try and make it more interesting. He didn't realize that if you are like me you are FREAKING TIRED of being beat over the head with politics. I'm almost aggravated with this stupid book enough to one star it. BECAUSE IT SUCKED!!
Now they will probably make a movie of it and make thousands of dollars. I'm not buying it. I'm sticking with the true western epic of all time. (and the best book ever for the two of you that haven't been book pushed into reading it yet)
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.
I loathed the book of [b:Forrest Gump|186190|Forrest Gump (Forrest Gump, #1)|Winston Groom|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1385313197s/186190.jpg|1500218] (calm down.. the movie was awesome) so I think I fell to that old trap of just loving a cover and not putting any other thoughts into why I'm reading a book..and ended up with this stinker.
I'll learn one day not to do that. Because this was a long- hard- boring -ass book. It's the story of mainly Arthur. He grew up in an orphanage until he somehow lucks up at the age of eight and is adopted by a rich couple and swept off his feet. He never dreamed of getting to lead the life of a railroad tycoon's son. That railroad tycoon likes to piss through money though and Arthur grows up to have mostly a job of keeping them out of the poorhouse. Not that they really even get close. But it's hinted at.
Arthur's father or the 'Colonel' ends up realizing his land in Mexico (that he bought dirt cheap) is under attack by Pancho Villa. His beef is being stolen and eaten and he is not going to stand for it. He loads up his wife and Arthur's family and they head into the unrest. Once there the Colonel decides to drive his cattle back to the US to keep them from ending up in the uprising's tummies. After he and Arthur leave..Pancho Villa comes to the ranch and takes Arthur's two children hostage.
So now there is an epic chase to get them back.
Save your time is what I say. There are many random characters through out the book that I couldn't give two craps about and none of the characters felt real. They all felt like cardboard cut-outs of what the book could have been.
There is lots of violence so I kept reading the stupid thing hoping it would all tie together and make some kind of sense. AND that's another thing..THIS STUPID THING IS LONG! If you are going to write a big old puppy squisher at least make me not get all ticked off about all the time I wasted reading this. EIGHT FRIGGING HOURS!
Then the icing on the cake was..I think the author just wove in political views that felt timely to try and make it more interesting. He didn't realize that if you are like me you are FREAKING TIRED of being beat over the head with politics. I'm almost aggravated with this stupid book enough to one star it. BECAUSE IT SUCKED!!
Now they will probably make a movie of it and make thousands of dollars. I'm not buying it. I'm sticking with the true western epic of all time. (and the best book ever for the two of you that haven't been book pushed into reading it yet)
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.
anniemac93's review against another edition
4.0
It’s long, and yes there is a lot of violence, but the book held my attention all the way.
auspea's review
2.0
I love this period and Groom does a very good job in painting the atmosphere and details. I did feel that the plot was a little formualic and the charictars stereotypical.