Lonesome Dove: A Novel

😍😍😍😍

Incredible saga of the American old west about two Texas Rangers who retired and took their cattle herd all across the continent to settle in the Montana territory and start the first ever cattle ranch in that part of the country. It's non-stop action, bravery, love, and enduring friendships during a highly risky and dangerous venture with enemies everywhere but a potentially huge payoff. Such an adventure.

As someone who has never read westerns, this book made me feel what I think is so captivating about them: creating larger-than-life, mythical heroes from the clay of ordinary men. McMurtry doesn’t shy away from the grim realities of the untamed west, the fallout of Native American displacement, and the brutal lawlessness of a nation yet too big for its people. But there’s obviously a reverence and idolization of the period, and what it represented in American history. Gus and Call’s cattle drive feels like the Wild West’s last hurrah, a sad and terrific wane into a new era.

I would rate this book 1 Pulitzer.

what can be said, it lives up to the hype

When my husband recently read this and encouraged me to pick it up, too, I didn't want to say no because it had been so long since he'd been excited about a book. But I really didn't know if I had the time to devote to this almost 1000 page epic book. Switching between audiobook and a physical copy, I managed to read it in a few days. However, I don't recommend reading this one fast. While it's well-written, entertaining, and unforgettable, the brutal treatment of women was HARD to read. Especially quickly. It felt like this was basically the western version of Game of Thrones.

So while it gets five stars for being everything a book should be, I didn't enjoy the experience. I'm glad I read it. McMurtry is a brilliant writer, but I have no desire to continue the series. Maybe sometime in the future...

#popsugarreadingchallenge2021 (advanced prompt #1 - The longest book (by pages) on your TBR list)